Before Time
by Chameleon777
Summary: Prequel to "Yesterday In Tomorrow." Who IS Arianne Archer and where did she come from? Her journey, not like that of any other being, spans across time and space...an unbelievable and very unique history...How did she meet the other future crew? Disclaimer: I only own the original characters and plots.
1. Reversible Living

**2161**

"I'm sorry I can't be here to watch you give your speech, Jonathan," Arianne said, as she moved around her apartment, occasionally taking personal items from shelves and placing them in a duffel bag.

As he lingered on the couch, Jonathan smiled, "It's all right," he replied. "It's good that you were able to be at my side for Trip's funeral, though. He meant a lot to me and I was glad to have the support."

"Trip meant a lot to both of us, Jonathan," Arianne said, halting her packing and embracing him for all he was worth. "He would have been proud of what you are going to do tomorrow."

Jonathan nodded and felt comforted by her arms around him, "I hope you won't be gone for very long," he gently admitted, as he caressed her hands. "El Auria seems like it's far away from Earth."

"_The Mandarin _will be back as soon as we complete our work on El Auria," Arianne stated, as she kissed his hands and resumed her packing. "When I return, we'll work on planning our wedding."

Smiling, Jonathan watched her continue to clean her apartment, "I'll miss you," he finally said, turning to leave. "Just remember that I'll be thinking of you and anxiously awaiting your return, Imzadi."

As Jonathan quietly left the apartment, Arianne finished packing and quickly sealed her duffle bag.

"Forever and always, Imzadi," Arianne softly whispered, staring at the door.

* * *

"Science Officer, are you detecting any anomalies?" Captain Marattis asked, as Arianne sat at her station.

In the middle of space, closer to El Auria than Earth, the USS Mandarin cruised along at impulse speed, as they were in no hurry and their main objective was just to get the mission done safely, not quickly.

Their mission was to take samples from the surface of El Auria and determine if there was anything on the planet that could be used to possibly help the El Aurians maintain their peaceful quality of life.

Since they had made first contact with the planet two years prior, Starfleet had done everything they could to help the El Aurians thrive, no doubt hoping that some would become Starfleet material one day.

Normally, that would have been assigned to a joint Science/Medical team but, seeing as Starfleet was short on those right now, the Mandarin had been quickly staffed with a crew and dispatched instead.

Shaking her head, Arianne worked some controls on the console, "No anomalies, sir," she replied, pressing some buttons to scan the area. "Wait, sir," she said, suddenly spotting an odd reading. "I'm picking up a spatial rift that seems to be expanding rapidly…"

"Onscreen!" Captain Marattis shouted, suddenly concerned. "We must see what we're dealing with!"

The entire Bridge crew looked on in horror as a massive spatial rift appeared on the screen, producing sporadic electrical charges. Unfortunately, the ship was no match for the rift and was being pulled in.

"HELM, GET US OUT OF HERE BEFORE WE'RE DESTROYED!" Captain Marattis shouted.

Before the Helmsman could reply, the entire Bridge flooded with light as one of the electrical charges struck the Bridge. Almost immediately, the Bridge was engulfed in a massive explosion.

_I will love you forever, my Imzadi. _Arianne quietly thought as everything went black.

* * *

"_This one has been in stasis since we found the decimated vessel," a voice said, as he hovered over a stasis pod. "Her vitals are all over the place and she sustained serious injury enough that she will die soon."_

_Arianne opened her eyes and immediately, finding herself in a stasis pod, she shakily reached up and knocked on the glass with a broken hand, fully feeling the pain with every breath she took. _

_Finding herself unable to speak because of a tube down her throat, Arianne tried to talk with her eyes._

_Shocked at seeing the woman awake, an El Aurian doctor opened the pod and stared down at her, "It is good that you are conscious, but you are severely injured." he explained. "You were the lone survivor from the Mandarin and you were put in stasis to save your life. However, stasis is only prolonging it."_

"_Doctor, tell her of T'Pol's de-aging experiment," a voice shouted from nearby. "Maybe she will consent!"_

_Sighing, the doctor nodded, "There is a way to save your life, however," he explained. "We have a process that will de-age you to the point of infancy, replace your blood type, and regenerate your organs to where they are not damaged at all. It is a risky procedure, but it may be the only way. Do you agree to do this?"_

_Knowing that being de-aged was better than death, even though she may never see Jonathan again, Arianne managed a weak nod. Unfortunately, all of her energy was now gone and she immediately closed her eyes._

_Closing the pod, the doctor connected a tube to a hole on the side of it. He then nodded to a scientist that lingered at a nearby console. Smiling, the scientist began to work the controls at a rapid pace._

_As electro-magnetic light filled the pod, the door slid open and an El-Aurian government official named Rondau entered the room, along with his wife, Riaa. Their eyes immediately focused on the stasis pod._

"_We came as soon as we heard of the Mandarin's destruction and of the lone survivor," Rondau spoke, lingering at the science console. "I assume you are testing the experiment on her?"_

_Nodding, the scientist fiddled with the controls, "She consented to it," he explained. "It was either allow the experiment or die a death from her severe injuries. "It was not a hard choice for her to make."_

"_By the way, Rondau, her name is Arianne," the doctor suddenly spoke up, as he reviewed the Mandarin's crew records from another console. "Do well to remember that and always refer to her by that name."_

_Rondau nodded, as not many would be given such a sacred, yet highly secret honor, "We will raise her as if she were our biological daughter," he replied. "Is the procedure complete yet?"_

_Without speaking, the scientist turned off the machine and the electro-magnetic light faded from the pod._

_Anxious to see their new "child," Riaa had hurried over to the pod and quickly opened it._

"_Oh, hello there, Arianne," Riaa cooed, as she lifted a small, blue-eyed, blonde-haired baby from the pod and quickly dressed her in an El-Aurian dress and hat. "Our beautiful daughter, Rondau."_

"_Remember, she will be in baby form for a long while and it will take time for her to evolve," the doctor reminded them, as they prepared to leave the chamber. "Also, nobody is to ever know of this experiment."_

_Rondau and Riaa nodded. Nobody else knew and ever would know of this illegal experiment that, despite having the potential to save lives, was punishable either by death or a twenty year sentence in prison._

_Maybe someday things would change and the experiment would be widely accepted by all species._

_For now, however, it had just been used to save the life of an officer with limitless promise and potential._


	2. 2231: Secret Integration

December 31, 2231

Grateful for the darkness of night to hide her battered shuttle, a young-looking woman hobbled down the boarding ramp and into Golden Gate Park. The child hidden under her shawl let out a fierce cry.

"Shush, Arianne," the woman cooed, as she hurried into the nearest grove of trees. "It's all right."

The poison in her body would soon kill her and leave Arianne an orphan, the woman knew, as she sat on the grass with her child, quickly scribbling a note on a scrap paper. There was no way to avoid it, however, and it was better to die with the child raised on Earth than be in space, forever fleeing from the Borg.

Once she knew that El-Auria was no longer a safe place, the woman had quickly stolen one of the last remaining shuttles and taken her only child into space. Her husband, a high-ranking government official, had quickly been captured and assimilated, so there was no hope for him anymore.

About half a day from Earth, the woman had injected herself with a slow poison so that, while Arianne lived, grew, and flourished on the Earth, she herself would die, along with all the haunting memories.

Gasping, the woman placed her daughter on the grass and lay down. It would soon be over.

"Mommy loves you very much, Arianne," the woman cried, as she felt her insides slowly seizing up.

As the child continued to cry, the woman took her last breath and died, full of horrific memories.

* * *

January 1, 2232

Moaning, Christopher Pike lifted himself off the couch to find that most of the other officers had gone home and only his best friend, George Kirk, remained passed out on the floor, along with Pierre Robau.

It had been a wild New Year's party the night before with Starfleet personnel from all over the world gathering in San Francisco to celebrate. Per the usual Starfleet party, everyone had gotten sloshed.

No doubt David McCoy, who was one of the highest qualified doctors in Starfleet, would have his hands full administering lectures and hangover remedies to hundreds of officers and cadets that day along with Dr. Puri, who had a lot of skill, but little patience for officers suffering massive hangovers.

To deal with the massive load, they would probably have to call Dr. Boyce off of his holiday skiing adventure in Switzerland, which would upset him, as he didn't often take time to relax.

Letting out a guffaw, Christopher got to his feet and, looking around, he was immensely relieved to see that his apartment hadn't been irreparably trashed like last year. It had cost him thousands of dollars to get last year's damages repaired and he didn't intend on going broke hosting wild parties anymore.

"Chris, is George still passed out on the floor?" Winona Kirk asked, as the front door slid open and she entered the room, with a young toddler in her arms. "Little George and I are here to pick him up."

Nodding, Christopher pointed to where George lay, "He's over there, Winona," he replied.

Muttering to herself about drinking irresponsibly, even if it WAS New Year's Eve, Winona stepped over Pierre and moved to George's side.

As he listened to Winona force George to wake up, Chris kicked Pierre in the side hard, hoping it would motivate him to get up and go get a hangover treatment.

"Aw, Chris, don't DO that!" Pierre, who was feeling sick, moaned, as he opened his eyes and realized that Christopher had kicked him. "I've got a headache and I feel like I'm gonna puke!"

Christopher scoffed, "Not on my floor, you're not," he hissed, forcefully getting Pierre to his feet. "You puke all over my floor, you will scrub my entire house from top to bottom and I MEAN it."

Muttering swear words in French under his breath, Pierre staggered out of the house.

Letting out a sigh, Christopher watched as Winona hoisted little George, whom she referred to as Sam to avoid confusion, on her shoulder and led her hungover husband out of the house.

After closing the door and quickly checking to ensure that the house was completely free of hungover Starfleet officers and cadets, Christopher grabbed a jacket off the wall.

Of course, feeling the way he did, he would normally need a hangover treatment.

However, as both Dr. Puri and David were going to be swamped all day, Christopher thought that he had better take a walk to feel better. Even though it was nippy, the cold air would certainly cure his headache.

* * *

Despite the cold weather, Christopher quickly found that he was not the only one out exercising in the unusually frigid weather. He immediately spotted Admiral Archer out walking Porthos, his beloved beagle.

"Hey, Chris," Jonathan said, spotting his friend. "I heard that you had a wild party last night."

Christopher nodded, "It's a shame I didn't see you at my place last night," he commented, knowing full well that Puri had ordered Admiral Archer to refrain from partying until he was fully healed from his recent health-preservation surgery. "I see you actually went through with that de-aging thing after all."

"Yeah, now I look so young that maybe I'll feel up to dating again in a few years," Jonathan chortled, watching as Porthos stopped and began sniffing a light pole. "Then again, I'm supposed to have this done again in 10 to 20 years, so I am just weighing my options carefully right now."

"Still thinking of retirement?" Christopher asked. "It'll be a shame to lose you at Starfleet."

Jonathan sighed, "At least until I'm fully healed," he replied sadly. "Thank goodness Phlox is off planet and Boyce is skiing. They would kill me if they knew I was out walking around instead of resting at home."

Christopher chuckled, "You know, Jon, you really need a wife to keep you in line so Phlox and Boyce don't have to baby-sit you," he gently chided.

"Not after what Hoshi did to me, I don't," Jonathan snapped. "We were all set to be married and then she left me so suddenly, telling me that she met someone younger and more capable in the bedroom to be with."

Feeling awkward, Chris quickly changed the subject, "I heard the Yorktown failed inspection and is being sent back to the drawing board," he commented, having heard about the ship's disastrous test flight.

"Yeah, that ship is basically a pile of junk," Jonathan replied, as they walked the paths. "Last I heard, they're gonna scrap the plans and work on a new ship. They're gonna call it the Kelvin, apparently."

Chris nodded, but before he could reply, a loud, high-pitched crying came from a clump of nearby trees.

"Jon, get over here right NOW," Chris hollered, as he hurried through the trees and saw a little baby, swaddled in sheets, laying on the frozen ground, next to a woman who was dead and nearly frozen. "You will not believe what I just found…a dead woman and a screeching baby."

"Chris, have you been drinking this early or are you still out of it from last night?" Jonathan replied, thinking that his friend was lying, as he walked over. "That's impossible."

Unfortunately, Jonathan's smile faded as he reached the spot where Christopher stood and saw that it wasn't a lie: A crying baby was laying on the grass, swaddled in sheets, and the mother was dead beside it.

"Shh, child, it's all right," Chris said, as he carefully picked up the crying child and suddenly noticed a note tucked into the blankets. "Jon, there's a note in the blanket. Take it out and read it aloud to me."

Swearing under his breath, Jonathan carefully pulled the note off the blanket and opened it.

"My home planet has been assimilated by powerful aliens and I have fled to Earth for refuge," Jonathan read, repeating what the woman had written. "There is nothing left for me and I only have horrific memories to my name, so I partook of a slow acting poison that should kill me before this note is read. My daughter, Arianne, however, has such potential and I beg that someone raise her and help her to achieve greatness."

Refolding the note, Jonathan shuddered, "Chris, I suddenly am feeling very ill," he stated, placing the note back in the blanket. "I think I am going to take Porthos and go home to bed. I wish you luck in dealing with the situation, as I know you'll deal with it as honorably as possible."

Ignoring the feelings of lightheadedness and absolute horror about the situation, Jonathan turned and quickly walked further down the path, back towards his home, with Porthos running behind.

Gazing down at the baby, Chris knew that he would certainly have a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

"Pike, it's about time you showed up in Sickbay for your hangover remedies," Dr. Puri snapped, as Christopher entered the patient bay of Starfleet Medical. "I've spent the greater part of the day giving all your party buddies lectures and remedies. I guess now's the best time for yours, huh?"

Christopher shook his head, "No, Puri, there's something important I need taken care of," he replied softly, as he unzipped his jacket to reveal a sleeping Arianne. "I found this on the grounds, near the trees."

"Chris, what IS that?" Puri yelled in shock, utterly horrified at seeing a swaddled baby in Christopher Pike's jacket. "You say it was out on the frozen ground next to a dead woman?"

"Puri, why are you making so much noise out here?" Dr. Boyce, who had been sitting in his office, making reports on all of the previous night's partiers, which he had to be recalled from Switzerland for, when he heard Puri screaming like there was a war going on, asked, as he strolled up to his colleague.

"Doctor Boyce, I need to talk to you in PRIVATE," Christopher hissed, as Boyce stared down at the sleeping baby in his arms. "I was out for a walk and I found her in the trees, beside her dead mother."

Dr. Boyce sighed, "Bring the child and follow me, Chris" he ordered, in a surprisingly gentle tone. "Puri, go and make sure that Admiral Archer is at home, in bed, and is actually resting since David's gone home."

Puri nodded and uncomfortable, he quickly fled the patient bay as Dr. Boyce turned and walked into it.

"Place her on this bio-bed," Boyce ordered, as Chris followed, carefully carrying the sleeping child.

Being careful not to wake her, Chris did as he was told and looked expectantly at Boyce.

"Okay, let's see what we are dealing with," Boyce said, as he pulled out a tricorder and scanned the sleeping infant. "First of all, she her cells seemed to have been locked in some sort of regeneration mode that prolongs infancy," he said. "However, that is easy to correct with rapid treatment."

"Phil, I don't know how to deal with this," Chris admitted nervously. "Her mother is dead and I'm not really sure where she came from. How am I going to alert the authorities to this orphan?"

Boyce was silent for a moment and put his tricorder down, "Chris, do you honestly have to TELL civilian authorities?" he asked. "Did anyone from Starfleet Command witness you finding this infant?"

"Yeah, I had run into Admiral Archer and Porthos right before," Chris replied. "Why?"

Boyce replied by giving Chris an intense stare, "If Admiral Archer witnessed you finding this orphan baby, he can help you cover it up from civilian authorities," he quietly hissed, praying that nobody was around to overhear him. "Adopt her, give her your name, and Archer will keep the civilian authorities away."

"Phil, I don't know the first thing about raising a kid," Chris protested, trying not to wake the still sleeping child. "How can I raise a kid when I can barely manage to take care of myself most of the time?"

Boyce scoffed, "You'll manage, Chris," he snapped. "Either that, or she becomes a ward of the state and you know darn well that most wards of the state end up going through a lot of rough patches in life. At least with you as her father, she'll grow up in a stable environment where she can learn and practice morals."

Chris was silent for a moment. Despite his fear, it would be nice to have a child to teach and help grow.

"Fine, Phil, I'll adopt her right here and now," Chris suddenly said, silently praying that he wouldn't regret it. "Can you patch Archer through on the communications channel so we can make it official?"

Relieved that his friend had made a selfless decision, Boyce nodded and, turning to the communication console, he tapped in Archer's house number. Almost immediately, Puri appeared on screen.

"Doctor Puri, can you allow Admiral Archer to take a phone call from his bed?" Boyce asked, amused that Puri was already over there and taking command of Jon's recovery. "It's very important."

There was a scoff, muffled talking, then suddenly, a tired Jonathan appeared at the screen, "Doctor Boyce, what can I do for you?" he asked. "Doctor Puri said that you wanted to talk about something important?"

"Chris is looking to adopt this little baby he found on the grounds," Boyce explained, amused to see the shocked look on Jonathan's face. "Can you make it official and cover it up from civilian authorities?"

Trying to keep his blood pressure from rising, as Puri would no doubt end the call if he became stressed, Jonathan merely nodded, "I can do that right now," he replied. "May I ask why, though?"

"I want to give her a chance at growing and being successful with a set of morals, Jon," Chris replied. "If I take her to civilian authorities, she won't stand a chance as a ward of the state."

Jonathan nodded, "Christopher Pike, do you solemnly swear to see that this child gets everything that she needs in the course of growing, learning, and achieving success?" he asked, his facing taking on a solemn tone. "Do you swear that you will be responsible and seek help in raising this child?"

"I swear that I'll do my best on all of those things, Admiral," Christopher promised, as he raised his right hand, per Starfleet tradition. "There will be others to help me make sure I do this right."

Giving a nod, Jonathan smiled, "Then, I, Jonathan Archer, Admiral of the United Federation of Planets, hereby authorize you, Christopher Pike, former captain of the NX-02, to take this child into your legal custody and raise her as your own flesh and blood," he said. "I'll document it all while I'm resting."

With that, the screen went black and Boyce gazed over at Chris, whose face was solemn.

"Welcome to Earth, Arianne _Christine_ Pike," Chris softly said, giving her the feminine version of his own name as her middle name, as he gazed down at his newly adopted daughter.


	3. 2233: Honor Gained in Early Youth

2233

"Richard, you know I'm seriously happy that you got command of the Kelvin," Christopher said, as he and the newly promoted Captain Robau sat on his couch and shared some tea. "The only thing I will miss is that I can't refer to you as 'Pierre, the handsome Frenchman" anymore….That and I will miss your humor."

Richard nodded, "Yeah, I'm pretty stoked to be taking command of the Kelvin," he replied, taking a sip of his tea. "I can't believe that George Kirk, of all people, is gonna be my first officer, though. The man has a pregnant wife and a younger son to think of. Why would he want to suddenly go off into space?"

"Ah, you know George, always seeking after an adventure," Christopher said, quickly draining his cup. "It's lucky for him that Winona got a science officer posting on the Kelvin, or she probably wouldn't have allowed George to accept your offer…."

Richard chortled, "By all rights, friend, the Kelvin should have been _yours_," he gently replied. "Starfleet Command had you pegged for the Captain's chair until you got wrapped up in your own little _adventure."_

"_Being a father is certainly an adventure all right," Chris commented, as he rose from the couch. "Speaking of which, I need to go and check on her. Got a minute, Richard? I left her napping in her playpen."_

_Richard nodded and rising, he followed Chris into a nearby spare bedroom that was now used as Arianne's nursery. Right away, Richard gasped as he saw Arianne not in her crib, but hanging on the curtains._

"_Arianne, how in the world did you manage to get up there?" Chris, who, despite his shock, walked over to the curtains and gently pulled Arianne into his arms, asked._

_Richard, quickly seeing a hole in the playpen, sighed, "Looks like she chewed through the playpen, crawled across the floor, and climbed up the floor-length curtains," he explained, secretly amused._

"_Dada, I wuve you," Arianne suddenly said, as she put her tiny arms around Christopher's neck and smiled._

_Widening his eyes, Chris stared down at Arianne and then back up at Richard, "Arianne's not only chewing through her crib, crawling, and climbing, she's talking. It's absolutely incredible!"_

"_It's amazing, Chris, it really is," Richard replied, knowing full well that the child obviously had some developmental delays that Chris didn't want to talk about. "Anyway, did you want to bring Arianne to watch the launching of the Kelvin? It launches in the morning from the orbital spacedock."_

_Chris nodded, "We wouldn't miss it for the world," he replied, cuddling his daughter. _

_Peering up at the digital clock that was above the doorway, which read 23:44, Richard sighed, "I should be going home, Chris," he stated, gazing at his friend. "The Kelvin launches at 0600 tomorrow."_

"_Take care of yourself, Robau," Christopher said, as Richard waved and quietly left the house._

_Months later, Christopher entered the front room of his home and sank to his knees, filled with shock._

_After encountering a strange vessel in the depths of space, the Kelvin had been mercilessly attacked and Captain Robau had been taken hostage. After an unknown exchange, Robau had been killed and in evacuating surviving crew, George Kirk had died on the Kelvin while allowing others to escape._

_With the Kelvin in pieces all over space, surviving shuttles had returned to Earth, including the one holding a emotionally battered Winona Kirk, and her newborn son, James Tiberius Kirk. _

_From what Chris knew, Winona had taken James and returned to Iowa as soon as she returned to Earth. She had subsequently remarried and was, despite both of her sons needing her, she was currently seeking to get posted to another ship bound for space as soon as possible. She couldn't wait to escape Earth it seemed._

_The strange ship that had attacked the Kelvin had somehow disappeared from sight since, but, for all Starfleet personnel, the horrific memories would remain within the survivors. _

_Additionally, as the current senior officer in Starfleet, as the Admirals were at some conference in Brazil trying to establish a Starfleet presence in South America, and Jon had retired the year before, choosing to take Porthos and go off exploring space, Chris now had to travel to Iowa and visit the Kirk family._

_It had been Winona's request that Chris be in attendance at George's funeral, despite there not being anything left of George to bury. Per his duty, Chris had arranged for transport to Iowa and decided to leave Arianne, as she hated travel, with friends of his who lived in Africa, with the surname of Uhura._

_Despite Arianne's reluctance to be left in a strange land for a few days, the nearly three year old girl, who could talk up a storm if given the chance, was now excited, as the Uhura's had a daughter that she could befriend and spend time with, named Nyota. _

_After transporting Arianne to the Uhura's home, Chris had immediately left for the plains of Iowa._

_Now, the morning after she was dropped off, Arianne found herself sitting on a small bed, across from the bed that held Nyota, who was a bit younger and still asleep. It was only four a.m. after all._

_After turning in at sundown the night before, as she was tired from travel, Arianne found that she was unable to sleep any longer and only wanted to get on with her day. _

_Climbing out of her bed, she toddled over to Nyota, "Ny, let's get up and go exploring," she said, gently shaking her new friend's shoulder. "I wanna see what's outside of your house."_

_With a tiny groan, Nyota opened her eyes and gazed at Arianne, "No, the bad guys are still out there," she replied. "The goons will kill us and eat us if they catch us outside before the sun comes up."_

"_I'm not afraid," Arianne replied defiantly. "I have to pee, anyways, and I don't know where to go."_

_Rolling her eyes, Nyota, who was wearing a long nightdress, climbed out of bed and put a robe on, "Follow me," she said. "If we see the goons, don't talk, just run for the nearest building."_

_Arianne nodded and followed Nyota from the room, ensuring that she had her father's knife, which she had stolen before she came here, on her. When she was one, she had practiced with it on very fat worms._

_Hopefully, everything would be just fine._

"_Are you finished yet?" Nyota said, as she stood in front of Arianne and peered around for the goons that patrolled their area for stray people. "It's getting too dangerous to be out here."_

_From the bush she was squatting at, Arianne sighed, "I am not," she replied, exhausted. "Almost, though."_

_A few seconds later, Arianne was done and grasping each other's hands, her and Nyota began to walk the cracked stone path that led back to the Uhura dwelling._

"_Well, well," a grave voice suddenly spoke out from behind the girls. "Stray human children…"_

_Freezing in their tracks, Arianne and Nyota turned around and gasped in horror._

_With a menacing growl on its face, there stood a tall, heavily built, feral-looking Klingon. Continuing to growl, the Klingon quickly picked up the girls and ran into the dying darkness._

"_Please, let us go," Nyota asked, as the Klingon carried the girls along, each step taking them further and further away from the Uhura house. "We had to use the bathroom."_

_The Klingon growled, "Young girls should not be alone outside, especially during the dark hours," he snapped, as he thrust the girls to the ground. "For this misdeed, you will learn a harsh lesson."_

_Ignoring the pain radiating throughout her body from being dropped, Arianne slipped her hand into her pocket. She could feel that the knife was there, but when would be the right time to use it?_

_Snarling, the Klingon turned his attention to Nyota, "I think you will make a sufficient playtoy," he said, advancing on the young Swahilian. "The other one will be dealt with later."_

_Full of a sudden anger that she had never felt before and did not understand, Arianne quickly pulled the knife from her pocket and quickly climbing up the Klingon's back, she began to stab him wildly._

"_Run!" Arianne yelled, as she continued to stab the Klingon, who was moving around wildly, trying to get the vicious child off his back."_

_Her eyes wide, Nyota nodded and quickly began to run back towards her home, hoping her parents were awake. This was an incredibly dangerous situation and they obviously needed help._

_Without warning, the Klingon suddenly collapsed to the ground, bleeding heavily._

_Feeling herself flying, Arianne quickly passed into darkness as she hit the cold dirt, the knife flying away._

"_I don't know HOW this happened," Chris murmured to himself, numb with shock as he stared down at Arianne, who was laying unconscious on a Starfleet Medical biobed and covered by many blankets._

_Chris had just finished attending the funeral and was going to spend the night in Iowa before returning home when he had suddenly gotten a call from Mrs. Uhura, who sounded frantic. _

_Mrs. Uhura had explained that a feral Klingon had ambushed both Nyota and Arianne around four a.m., when they were outdoors relieving themselves. She had gone on to explain that despite the Klingon nearly killing the girls, Arianne had somehow climbed the Klingon and stabbed him with a knife she had on her._

_At the mention of the knife, Chris realized that Arianne must have stolen it from his private collection._

_Immediately following the call, Chris had quickly gotten in contact with Dr. Boyce and after explaining the situation, he had been on board the Starfleet Medical shuttle sent to Africa to retrieve his daughter._

_Now, nearly 5 hours later, Arianne was still unconscious, despite not having any other physical injury._

"_Oh, my little girl," Chris said, well aware that Boyce was watching from his nearby office. "I can't believe you risked your own life to save Nyota. I can't believe you stabbed a Klingon to death. Please, wake up."_

_As if she had heard him, Arianne blinked and suddenly, her eyes opened, "Daddy," she said, very tired and weak from her adventure. "I thought you were in Iowa…"_

"_No, Arianne, you and I are both in the patient bay at Starfleet Medical," Chris gently said, relieved that Arianne was awake. "I was in Iowa, but, when I heard you had gotten hurt, I wanted to be there for you."_

_Shaking, as she was still scared, Arianne began to cry, "Daddy, that big monster was gonna make a playtoy of Ny," she said, quickly sitting up. "I know it was bad to steal your knife, but I needed it."_

_Letting out a small sigh, Chris pulled the sobbing child into his arms, "It's all right, Arianne," he said, holding his girl tight. "You saved Nyota and for that, Mr. and Mrs. Uhura sent me something to give you as a special thank you for dealing with the situation like you did."_

_Feeling her tears stop, Arianne nodded, "I was scared, Daddy," she admitted. "I thought I was gonna die."_

_Stroking his daughter's hair, Chris released her, "I thought you should know that I talked with some Admirals about what happened and they want to thank you," he explained, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "They decided to give you a commendation and the Uhuras sent you a necklace."_

_Smiling, Chris opened the box and revealed a tiny Starfleet medal and a small African necklace surrounded by cotton and tissue paper, "I'll help you put it on if you'd like," he said._

_Arianne nodded and remained quiet as Chris took the necklace out and fastened it around her neck._

'_I'll keep the medal safe for you to wear on special occasions," Chris explained, as he replaced the lid and put the box back in his pocket. "No doubt that reporters will want to talk to you about what happened."_

_Shuddering, Arianne sighed, "I don't wanna talk to people about it," she replied. "Killing is bad."_

"_Arianne, listen to me," Chris said, feeling horrible that the girl had to learn this lesson so young. "Sometimes there will be beings in your life who will want to hurt you or others. When you are older, I will teach you to defend yourself against such beings. Self-defense is the purpose of what I will teach you, but in dangerous enough situations, you may have to kill to save yourself or others from certain death."_

_Arianne lay back, as she felt tired, "Yes, Daddy." she softly replied. "I wanna go to sleep for a little while."_

_Chris nodded and took a seat on the bedside stool that Boyce had provided, "I'll stay with you while you sleep, kiddo," he said, taking her little hand in his big hand. "You'll be safe. Daddy is right here with you."_

_Arianne nodded and quickly fell asleep, relieved to have her daddy with her._

_As he watched his little Arianne sleep, Chris sighed. It was nothing short of luck that she had survived._

_This child, who was both a blessing and a major responsibility, seemed to have nothing but adventure placed before her. Chris often wondered about where the child had come from and whether or not the ability to get out of troubling situations with ease ran in her biological roots._

_Frowning to himself, Chris quietly scoffed. Forget biology, it was definitely not important._

_Ever since he had found the child crying in the woods, Chris knew that he, Christopher Pike, was Arianne's father and as her birth parents were dead, that is how it would forever remain, as he had legally given her his surname and along with it, opportunity to grow and flourish in the stability of Starfleet._

_Everything would be all right eventually, Chris thought, as he continued watching his daughter sleep._


	4. 2240: Necessity In Parting

2240

"All right, students, you may now turn your exam papers over and begin," the teacher, a Human female, who was dressed in a neck-high civilian dress that extended to the floor, said, as she took a seat at her desk.

Seated at her metal desk, Arianne sighed and quietly turned over the exam paper, annoyed that there were a lot of complex mathematic equations that required solving.

Even though the class had gone over the equations in classes and it was a standard practice for grade school classes to study complex things, Arianne found herself only able to understand the simpler equations.

While all the other students quickly worked through their exam papers, Arianne skimmed the paper and answered the questions she understood. She fully expected to fail this math quiz, as it was difficult.

"Miss Pike, I believe you have been skipping questions on your exam paper," the teacher stated in a blunt tone, as she hovered over Arianne. "The rules state you must answer the questions in order."

Upset that people were beginning to look up from their papers to watch the teacher yell at her, Arianne looked up at the teacher, "I don't exactly understand all the questions," she quietly admitted.

Anger suddenly clouded the teacher's face, "Miss Pike, how can you be so daft as to not understand equations that other children your age find them so simple?" she screeched, intense anger in her tone.

"I-I don't know," Arianne stuttered, tears coming to her eyes.

Seeing that Arianne was now crying, the teacher swore loudly, "MISS PIKE, I WILL NOT PERMIT CRYING IN MY CLASSROOM!' she shouted. "TO THE FRONT, IMMEDIATELY!"

Shaking, Arianne rose from her desk and stumbled to the front of the room, well aware that the irate teacher was kicking her in the heels with every step. She felt like she wanted to die.

"Since you don't understand the questions and you are crying like a little baby in MY classroom," the teacher hissed loudly, as she moved behind her desk and opened a drawer. "Hold out your hands and I will administer the laser strap. It will teach you how to smarten up and do better in school."

Scowling, Arianne bore her teeth, "I don't want to," she argued. "I won't do what you say."

Infuriated, the teacher activated the laser strap, "Class, please take a break from your exams and help me administer proper discipline on Miss Pike," she ordered. "She obviously needs some help to receive it."

"My father is a Starfleet Captain," Arianne said, as she tried to avoid the other kids in the class who were circling around her. "You're not supposed to hurt your students here."

Arianne knew that her fight was lost as her teacher continued advancing on her with the laser strap, "You little retard," she hissed, pointing the laser strap towards her. "Starfleet doesn't exist here."

Summoning up all her courage, Arianne took a deep breath and, grabbing small objects from other desks and shelves, she climbed the nearest set of curtains and began to throw things at the crowd below her.

"Somebody call 9-1-1!" the teacher shouted, as objects fell on her and the other children.

As a student ran from the room, intending to do just that, Arianne suddenly fell from the curtains and into the crowd of students and the teacher. They descended on her all at once, showing no mercy.

With multiple people administering discipline, Arianne could only lay silently and feel every bit of pain.

"I don't understand, Phlox," Chris said, as he paced the floor of Phlox's private office within the walls of Starfleet Medical. "There were no problems during the years that I home schooled her and now, when she is suddenly in public school, everything seems to go wrong."

Seated behind his desk, Phlox shrugged, "You had home schooled Arianne since she was able to talk and suddenly she was put into a more public environment," he explained. "It's hard for anyone, especially a child to adjust to new surroundings so suddenly."

Following the incident at the school, Chris had briefly talked to the civilian police and, before any civilian rescue workers or media could arrive, he had quickly whisked Arianne away and didn't let her out of his sight until they had arrived at Starfleet Medical. After turning Arianne over to Dr. Boyce for an examination and proper treatment, Chris had cornered Phlox in his office, needing someone to talk to about it.

Chris frowned, "From what the civilian police told me, Arianne became upset after being provoked by both the teacher and her fellow students," he stated. "A nine year old shouldn't get upset like that, but then again, that school is in the heart of San Francisco's poverty suburb and it's not really a safe place for a kid."

Phlox nodded, but remained silent, so Chris continued, "I hadn't wanted to put her in that school, but Starfleet doesn't have primary schools, so I had no choice," he lamented. "The top brass was bothering me about taking on some Command duties. I had no idea that this was going to happen."

"Before you say another word, Captain, I have a prudent suggestion," Phlox suddenly spoke up. "Seeing as I have several medical degrees, perhaps I could perform an assessment on Arianne. The assessment is painless and it would determine whether or not there were any developmental and learning difficulties."

Leaning on the visitor's chair, Chris gasped, "I thought things like developmental disabilities and learning disorders were a thing of the past, Phlox," he hissed. "I thought they didn't exist anymore."

"They exist, however, there are those who wish to conceal them," Phlox observed, giving Chris a thoughtful look. "Even now, people want to pretend that imperfection doesn't really exist in society."

Letting out a deep sigh, Chris took a seat, "If Arianne does have developmental or learning issues, I won't hide it or abandon her," he promised. "When can you perform this assessment?"

"Once Doctor Boyce declares Arianne physically stable, I can begin immediately," Phlox promised, as he began looking for necessary files on his computer. "The results of this will be totally conclusive."

Chris nodded, he would allow the assessment to happen, as it would help Arianne be able to function better.

Hours later, after a detailed assessment, which involved both mental and light physical tasks, Chris now ensured that Arianne was resting quietly on a biobed, with him seated on a stool beside her.

Following a thorough examination, Boyce had said that Arianne had only suffered emotional hardship, superficial cuts from the laser strap, and severe bruising. Because of the immense pain, which had been temporary taken with the help of some hyposprays, Boyce had ordered her to spend the night there.

Now, while Boyce went home for the night to rest, Chris sat at his daughter's bedside, ready to fight any negative force that might come forth. Dr. Puri was also going to be around for the night shift.

Although Phlox was also around, he was calculating the assessment results and was currently unavailable.

"Daddy, I didn't mean to get so mad at school," Arianne said, as she lay there, gazing up at her father with a worried expression on her face. "I couldn't understand the hard math and the teacher called me a retard."

Wincing, Chris gazed down at her, "Sweetie, nobody has any right to call you that word, not even your teacher," he said, taking her hand. "I'm just glad that you are out of that school now."

Chris nodded, continuing to hold her hand as he silently reflected on the day.

After what had happened, he definitely wouldn't send her back to that school, but, because of the problem with overcrowded schools in San Francisco, where else could he send her for educational opportunities?

"Phlox to Captain Pike," Phlox's voice suddenly sounded out over the intercom.

"Captain Pike here," Chris spoke, as he released Arianne's hand and scooted his stool to the nearest intercom and pressed the button. "What can I do for you, Doctor Phlox?"

"I have the results of Arianne's assessment compiled and I was wondering if you would allow me to share them with you privately in my office," Phlox's voice stated.

"Let me tuck my daughter in for the night and then I'll come to your office," Chris said, as he turned the intercom to a lower volume and rose from his chair.

Even though she wasn't sure why she had to do all those tests, Arianne sat up, "Daddy, can I come with you to Doctor Phlox's office and look at the results?" she asked, eager to know what the results said.

"Ah, my good daughter, you need to sleep now," Chris gently replied, secretly amused by his daughter's never ending curiosity. "I will tell you everything you need to know tomorrow, when you're rested."

Knowing that her father was right, Arianne lay back down and quickly fell asleep.

Sighing, Chris turned away and quietly made his way over to Dr. Phlox's private office.

"So, according to these tests, Arianne has non-verbal learning disorder and an impulse-driven developmental disability called Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder," Phlox explained, as he showed Chris the charts of results. "The learning difficulty is apparent in these varying IQ scores."

Chris nodded and after quickly skimming the results, he looked up at Phlox, "Back when I was home schooling her, I did notice that she had trouble with the more complex math equations, but I didn't think anything of it, as she was younger," he replied. "However, after I went to the school after the incident, I spoke my concerns about Arianne and was blatantly told that I should keep my Starfleet preaching silent. I was further told that in light of the incident, it would be best if I found Arianne another school to attend."

"Did you consult with Starfleet Command on this matter?" Phlox asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I talked with several Admirals right after I brought Arianne to Starfleet Medical." Chris stated. "They said, unfortunately, there was little they could do to help, as Starfleet and civilian affairs are kept separate. There is no talk about instilling a sort of medium between the two to make for a more unified society as of yet."

Phlox scoffed, "It's disturbing to think that even now, Starfleet chooses to keep fully out of external affairs," he stated. "I thought that after all these years, humanity had made some progress."

"Starfleet's lost a great deal of the passion and goodwill that they had when it first originated," Chris stated, knowing that he wouldn't be court-martialed for it. "I'm disturbed by what Starfleet has become: a bunch of pencil-pushers who are too concerned with internal affairs than what is waiting to be improved upon."

Letting out a resigned sigh, Phlox quickly gathered the PADD's which contained the assessment results. It would do no good for Starfleet Command to see the results, for they would condemn an innocent child.

"I understand, which is why I suggest you take a different assignment," Phlox replied. "I recommend that you offer to be a foreign diplomat for Starfleet and undertake a tour of diplomatic relations to promote Starfleet to various places around Earth and her allies."

Chris nodded, "That's an interesting idea, Phlox," he replied, intrigued. "How would I handle both the duties of a diplomatic tour and being a father to Arianne?"

"I have also figured out a solution on how to ensure Arianne's safety while you do your tour," Phlox stated, smiling. "According to the extensive research I quickly did after I finished compiling the assessment results, there is a school in Des Moines, Iowa that is for children troubled by disabilities or circumstance."

"As much as it pains me to send Arianne away from San Francisco, it might be for the best for the time being," Chris agreed. "I will talk to Arianne and make the necessary arrangements immediately."

Rising from his seat, Chris turned and smiling at Phlox, he quietly left the office.

By the end of the month, Starfleet Command had received, reviewed, and accepted his sudden request, transferring Chris, along with his rank of Captain, to Starfleet Diplomacy and had the very exclusive, time-consuming task of promoting Starfleet to all cultures on both Earth and her immediate allies.

In addition, with the help of a strong recommendation letter from Phlox, Chris had been able to get Arianne enrolled at the "Achievement Academy of Hope" in Des Moines, with the sincere, documented promise that she would not only treated well, she would be assisted in developing abilities to become successful, whether or not she had disabilities. Everyone at the school was given equal respect and growth opportunities.

Arianne had taken the news of going to a new school well, but she became upset upon learning that she would be without her father. However, Chris had promised that he would always keep in contact with her.

When Arianne had finally agreed to go and make the most of the opportunity, Chris had taken a leave of absence and quickly put himself and Arianne on the first shuttle to the Des Moines shuttle port.

Now, as they sat together on the shuttle, Chris held Arianne close, as he would miss her dearly.

As the shuttle had launched and traveled across the States, they had talked about the future.

Now, as the shuttle landed in Des Moines, it was going to be somewhat easier to part ways for a time.

Once the shuttle had powered down and the ramp had lowered, Chris and Arianne stood and as an act of fatherhood that he would seldom get to perform in later years, he took his daughter's duffle bag.

"Captain Pike, Arianne, welcome to Des Moines," Amanda Grayson, a middle-aged human woman, who was dressed in a dark blue pantsuit with her hair cropped short, said in a gentle tone, as Chris and Arianne disembarked from the shuttle. "I am Amanda Grayson, Dean of the Academy," she said, smiling at the father and daughter. "I have come here to take Arianne to the Academy and get her settled in."

Chris smiled, "Thank you, Miss Grayson," he replied, releasing Arianne's hand. "I appreciate your help."

"Captain Pike, I am Amanda Grayson, wife of Sarek and mother of Spock of Vulcan," Amanda gently corrected him, extending her hand to Arianne. "My husband is here on a diplomatic mission, as am I, and we will be residing on Earth for an undetermined amount of time. Unfortunately, as Spock had to attend to his education, he is on Vulcan staying with Sarek's relatives."

Nodding, Chris quickly hugged Arianne, "I love you so much, kiddo," he said, as he released her and gently nudged her towards Amanda. "Do your best to be good and I will keep in contact with you."

"I love you, Daddy," Arianne replied, as she took Amanda's hand and allowed herself to be led away.

Letting out a resigned sigh, Chris watched them for a moment, then quietly turned away.

**Okay, this is the third chapter. What do you all think of the story so far? Tell me, please!**


	5. 2245: Steps In A Journey

2245

Five years had passed since Arianne had arrived at the Achievement Academy of Hope in Des Moines.

In those five years, she had learned and developed academic and athletic skills that would someday allow her to become a great success based on the Academy's strong morals, which learning was based on.

After spending nearly a year on Earth with Sarek, presiding over the Academy and being a great mentor to all the students, especially Arianne, whom she had developed a mother-daughter-like bond with, Amanda had returned to Vulcan with her husband and had turned the Academy over to someone else.

When Ambassador Sarek and Amanda had departed, they had both told Arianne that, because of their bond, she would always be welcome to come and spend time on Vulcan, as they would never forget her and how she helped them to not only feel welcome on Earth, but she did small tasks to make their lives easier.

In turn, Arianne had promised to visit Vulcan once she had finished her basic educational studies.

The new Dean was an intellectually strong, yet very mysterious woman who called herself Madame Guinan.

Pleased with the way Amanda had run things, Madame Guinan had continued to run the school with both patience and compassion, as she worked to help all children and youth who were in need of it.

Arianne, meanwhile, had just celebrated her 14th birthday by receiving a surprise call from her father, who was promoting Starfleet overseas, and she was now sitting in a classroom, struggling with math.

There had been rumor that she might graduate early from the Academy, yet, because of her issues with anything more than basic math, they remained rumors. In other areas, Arianne knew that her scores were close to being off the charts, but the difficulties were enough to hold her back.

The constant struggle was the reason why, when other pupils were off enjoying their free weekend time, Arianne now sat in a classroom, trying to figure out how just to pass.

"Miss Pike?" Madame Guinan suddenly said, as the door slid open and she walked sedately into the nearly-empty classroom. "I believe I have located a tutor to help you with your mathematical difficulties."

Sighing, Arianne turned in her desk and was shocked to see a young boy, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and dressed in roughed-up street clothes, standing next to Madame Guinan. The boy looked slightly annoyed.

"Mr. Kirk, this is Miss Pike," Madame Guinan calmly explained, as she gazed down at the young boy. "Mr. Kirk, this will be the student you will be helping with complex math for the remainder of the year."

The boy glared at Arianne, "My name is James Tiberius Kirk," he stated. "What's yours?"

"A.C. Pike," Arianne replied in a cool tone. "How old are you? You look like you're maybe 10."

Letting out a guffaw, Jim squinted at her, "A.C.?" he asked, annoyed. "Is that short for Air Conditioner?"

"James, remember that we discussed the importance of kindness," Madame Guinan calmly reprimanded the boy. "You need this girl just as much as she needs you right now. You are to help each other out."

Turning a deep shade of red, as he was obviously embarrassed by Madame Guinan's words, Jim lowered his head and mumbled a quiet apology. Arianne glared at the boy, she was not impressed.

"Now that you two are acquainted, I suggest you get to work on helping each other achieve what is needed to move forward in your lives," Madame Guinan gently ordered. "Time is precious and of the essence."

Without another word, Madame Guinan left the classroom. James and Arianne stared at one another.

"Wait, wasn't your dad George Kirk, the guy who was killed when the Kelvin was attacked?" Arianne asked, as she began removing her workbooks from her desk.

Suddenly, James gave Arianne an icy glare, "Let's not talk about that," he hissed angrily.

"What exactly am I supposed to help you with if you won't tell me everything about yourself?" Arianne yelled, annoyed that this kid was getting the better of her.

James sighed, "After my father died and I grew up a little, I wasn't treated so nice and after I kinda drove a car over a cliff, I was given a choice," he explained. "Either come here or go to a youth detention camp."

Arianne replied by setting PADD's, which contained her most recent failed math assignments and tests, on the desk near where James stood. Frowning, James picked up the PADD's and quickly read through them.

"Wow, you are seriously bad at math," James commented, as he returned the PADD's to the desktop and gave Arianne a look of disbelief. "How have you not flunked out of the Academy with these scores?"

Sitting at her desk, Arianne looked down, embarrassed, "My other marks have been good enough so that I can stay in school," she explained. "If I fail this year's math, though, I'll have to leave school."

"Now I see why Madame Guinan sent me to be your tutor," James said, a small grin appearing on his face. "It's no secret that even though I'm new here, I have the best mathematics skills of everyone on campus."

Biting her lip, Arianne sneered, "If you have the best math skills in the entire school, why don't you help me figure out my math and help me pass the year?" she challenged, disgusted by his cocky attitude.

"Get your books out of your desk and we'll get started," Jim said, as he took a seat in the desk beside Arianne. "I'll help you pass the year and perhaps we can become friends in the process."

Nodding, even though she didn't feel like she needed friends to survive in life, Arianne nodded and pulled the PADD's containing her homework from her desk. She looked at James expectantly.

"Let's delve into this mess quickly, shall we?" James asked, as he looked at the first PADD on the pile.

* * *

The remainder of the year passed quickly and soon enough, the summer approached.

Since nobody but Madame Guinan cared enough to look out for them, as a lot of the other students pretended Arianne didn't exist because she was perceived as a weirdo, James and Arianne had developed a tight friendship that saw them through times of joy, sadness, mischief, and near arrests by civilian police.

Fortunately, her father had been on Vulcan at the time of her first near arrest, so the secret behind it would always remain between her and James. Madame Guinan did find out about the second near arrest, however.

However, instead of becoming angry at their mischief, Madame Guinan had allowed them time to shower the mud off of them, change clothes, and get medical treatment for the wounds they received while being beat up by gang teens they had sassed, which, unsurprisingly, had led to the fight.

After all that had been taken care of, Madame Guinan had taken the two to her office, sat them down, and calmly explained that had it not been for her finding them when she did, they could have most likely ended up with serious injuries or killed.

She had also told them that although they were both misguided youths, she could see a great deal of potential in both of them, which they could only grow to if focus and discipline was developed.

Although James had been forced into believing that he was useless and good for nothing, courtesy of adult family members, he nodded and silently promised to do better, if only for Arianne's sake.

Since that day, Arianne and James had quickly become known for their strong friendship and high academic performances, rather than plotting mischief, playing pranks, and getting into trouble with police.

Thanks to the help that James had provided, Arianne had managed to pass all the required math courses and, because she had completed all of the other required coursework, she was now at graduation day.

Thankfully, despite her being the daughter of Captain Pike, there was no pomp and circumstance connected to her graduation from this secondary Academy. Arianne HATED being fussed over by ANYONE.

While she would graduate from the school and be returned to her father, Arianne had no idea where James would go, as it was obvious that returning to his former abusive home, was not an option for him.

Now, after saying a heartfelt goodbye to James, who had locked himself in his dorm to brood, Arianne was now in Madame Guinan's office, awaiting the arrival of both Madame Guinan and her father.

There was a moment of silence and suddenly, the door slid open. Arianne rose and saluted as her father and Madam Guinan entered the room. While Madam Guinan sat at her desk, her father stood in front of her.

"Well, Miss Pike, it's been a wonderful experience getting to know you and watching you grow into someone with great potential," Guinan said, as she leaned forward in her chair and smiled at the girl. "Now, I believe that your father has some important news for you and a very special gift for this occasion."

Christopher smiled and, reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small box, "Arianne Christine Pike, by order of Starfleet, who has been kept updated on your progress by both Madame Guinan and your letters to me, I hereby am authorized to grant you a field promotion to full Ensign," he said, as he opened the small box to reveal a collar pip. "I offer this rank to you, with all rights and responsibilities attached."

Feeling overwhelmed, Arianne nodded, "I accept this rank, sir, with all rights and responsibilities attached," she replied, moving into the attention stance. "I will do my best to hold this rank with the upmost honor."

Continuing to smile, Chris nodded, "Well, Ensign Pike, it just so happens that along with this promotion, Starfleet sent me to give you an assignment," he said, quickly pinning the rank pip to her shirt collar."

Arianne's eyes widened, but she said nothing, so Christopher continued, "You are to travel to the Federation Embassy in France and after completing Starfleet approved Diplomatic courses, you will assist me in promoting Starfleet around the world and to our allies in space," he explained.

Realizing that she would probably never see James or Madame Guinan again and, secretly hoping that she would run across Ambassador Sarek and Amanda Grayson again. Arianne nodded.

"I accept this mission, sir," Arianne spoke, gazing straight into her father's eyes.

From behind her desk, Madame Guinan smiled, "Good luck on this new chapter in your life, Ensign," she said gently. "You'll come to make something great of yourself someday."

Arianne nodded, "When do I embark on this mission, sir?" she asked, feeling eager to begin.

"Go to your dormitory and after packing your personal belongings, I believe you will find a proper uniform in your closet," Christopher explained, grateful for Madame Guinan's help with the matter. "Once you are in the proper uniform, bring your personal belongings back here. From here, you will leave for Paris."

Arianne nodded and, getting a nod from her father, she hurried from the room to prepare for her journey.


	6. 2250: Heart Full of San Francisco

2250

"_The shuttle from Paris will be landing at the San Francisco Flight Terminal in approximately ten minutes. All passengers, please gather buckle your safety belts, gather your luggage, and brace yourselves for any possible landing turbulence. Thank you for your patience."_

Having heard the intercom, a tall, well-built figure, who had long blonde hair and was dressed in a Starfleet Diplomacy uniform with an ensign's pip on the collar, slowly sat up and let out a yawn.

Arianne sighed, pushing her blonde hair out of her eyes as she gazed out the shuttle window.

It had been a long five years, but all the education she had received had certainly been worth the time spent on her assignment.

After the year spent in Paris, learning the finer points of both civilian diplomacy and inter-planetary crisis management, among other things, Arianne had joined several other students on a cultural trip to Vulcan.

Though the students were supposed to stay in a dormitory specified for human use during their stay, so they wouldn't be a nuisance to the locals or get into any legal trouble, Arianne, whose arrival on Vulcan had not gone unnoticed, had been met at the spaceport by Amanda, who was overjoyed to see her.

During that first day, while Arianne registered her travel information with the planet's inter-travel service, which took a great deal of time, Amanda had explained that because of her constant contact with Earth, she had learned of Arianne's coming and, after conversing with Sarek, she was invited to stay with them.

Because of her genuine love and respect for Amanda, whom she had looked upon as a surrogate mother during their time together on Earth, which had relieved her father greatly, Arianne had remembered accepting the offer and moving into the home of Sarek for the duration of her stay.

When she had told her group mates that she would not be joining them in the dorms, but rather staying off-campus among the Vulcans, the response was one of shock, as nobody could understand why she would want to do that. To them, Vulcans were best observed from a reasonable distance.

Of course, when they had arrived, Sarek was not there, as he was on the Vulcan High Council and, consequently, he was off attending to governmental affairs. Arianne had known, by Amanda's letters, that her and Sarek's son, whom she had never met, was now older, more mature, and an accomplished scholar.

Well aware that the shuttle would soon land, Arianne closed her eyes and reflected on the day that she had arrived at the Sarek home for the first time and had consequently met Amanda's son for the first time.

"_Spock?" Amanda's gentle voice sounded out, as she and Arianne moved through the open front door, into the home of Sarek. "Spock, are you here? I would like to talk to you."_

_There was silence, perhaps Spock was not home, Arianne thought, as she watched Amanda close the large door, shielding them from the harsh Vulcan climate. Suddenly, there was a gasp that came from nearby._

_Arianne turned just in time to see a tall, but youthful looking, black haired Vulcan man, who had the customary pointed ears, coming towards them. He was dressed in a dark sweater, dark pants, and black, knee-high boots. He regarded his mother with a strange hand salute and studied both of them briefly._

"_Spock, this is Ensign Arianne Pike from Earth," Amanda explained, smiling at her son. "She is part of a cultural study group that is here to learn about the Vulcan way of life."_

_Spock gave a nod, while continuing to study Arianne intently, "If it is the wish of my parents that you stay here during your visit to Vulcan, I welcome you," he spoke, a firm tone in his voice. "Please, if you have settled in, join my mother and I for some sustenance. You must be considerably famished after your journey."_

_Arianne nodded and moved forward to join them. However, she blinked, suddenly feeling like she was going to become sick and pass out into nothingness. Her body suddenly felt like a heavy burden._

"_I feel strange," Arianne heard herself mumble, as she suddenly felt herself falling backwards._

_The last thing she remembered before passing out is Spock hovering over her. After he and Amanda exchanged some unintelligible words, Arianne felt a cool hand pressed to her face._

_Several days had gone by before Arianne had awoken, only to find herself alone in a large bed, dressed in Vulcan clothes. Amanda had been at her side and had quickly explained that she had become suddenly ill and after Spock performed life-saving measures, there was little to do but allow her rest._

_After several days of resting, Arianne had been allowed out of bed and although she was curious about how Spock had saved her life, he had never divulged it, only promising to reveal it at a more appropriate time. This answer she had accepted and there seemed to be a firm friendship built between them as a result._

_There was really not much time spent with Sarek, as he was rather busy, but he did send along a pendant, via Spock, which signified her as an adopted daughter to his family, which she would always cherish._

_Soon enough, it was time for the group to return to Earth and report on their findings. _

_On that day, which was unusually cold, Spock and Amanda had accompanied her to the spaceport and after Amanda had given her a fond farewell, she had retreated to mingle among the others in the study group. Spock had given a strange hand salute and merely told her to live long and prosper._

For two days, which was the travel time between Earth and Vulcan because of the slow, poorly maintained shuttle that the group used, Arianne had reflected and documented her time on Vulcan in a personal diary.

Hopefully, someday, Arianne thought, as the shuttle landed, she could return again to Vulcan for a visit.

"Passengers, please gather all your belongings and, after you have disconnected your safety belts, please exit the shuttle in an orderly fashion. Any oversized luggage will be stored in the terminal for collection and passengers may also find refreshment there. Thank you for flying with Starfleet." the intercom sounded.

Sighing, Arianne grabbed her shoulder bag and backpack, which carried many important items of a personal nature. As she stood, her fingers brushed the pendant that was securely around her neck at all times.

Remaining silent, she quickly wove her way through the disembarking crowd and as she exited the shuttle, Arianne could see her father lingering at the gate, along with, to her surprise, Dr. Boyce.

"Arianne, I didn't think that I would be able to come today," Christopher said, smiling as Arianne hurried over and embraced him. "Phil, however, told me that I would always regret it if I didn't come see you."

Arianne smiled, "It's absolutely wonderful to see both of you," she exclaimed, as she quickly hugged Dr. Boyce and stepped back so both she could see both of them more clearly.

Chris smiled, "I've missed you terribly," he said, putting an arm around her. "Welcome home."

* * *

Nearly two hours later, after being given a brief medical checkup by Dr. Boyce at Starfleet Medical, Arianne was walking the streets of downtown San Francisco with her father. Of course, they could have taken a shuttle, but, as Arianne had just spent a lot of time on a shuttle, walking was more preferable.

It had not taken long before the need for food had set in and, after a brief discussion, Arianne and Chris ducked into a diner and after choosing a booth, they had given their orders and were now waiting for food.

"After years of being a token captain teaching at the Academy, Starfleet has finally decided to grant me my very own ship without some senior authority like Robert April constantly looking over my shoulder," Chris explained, as he picked up a small salt shaker that looked like a miniature ship. "It's going to take some time to build, of course, but they are going to be calling it the Enterprise."

Arianne grinned, "That's wonderful, Father," she replied, her voice full of excitement. "You've sacrificed so much to raise me and now you're being given the reward you deserve. It's what you've always wanted."

Swallowing, Chris sighed, "I don't think that I've sacrificed anything to raise you, Arianne," he stated, suddenly reflecting on how he first met the young girl as a baby. "I was actually quite relieved to suddenly become a father nineteen years ago, as it took all the pressure of being a starship captain off of me."

Nodding, Arianne studied the placemat for a moment before looking back up at her father, "Look, what I'm about to ask will probably offend you, but I have to ask it," she said, suddenly remembering that she had always wondered about her early childhood. "What happened to my biological parents?"

Chris suddenly froze, "Well, I always expected you to ask this question, as I figured that you'd someday be smart enough to figure it out with your knowledge of biological sciences," he replied, a gentle tone in his voice. "I'm afraid I don't know the entire story, but I am willing to show you what I do know about them."

Tears suddenly welled up in Arianne's eyes, "Father, please don't be offended by my strange request," she said, her voice full of anxiety. "I always felt like a part of me was missing and it felt even more so after my visit to Vulcan…."

"I remember being told by Ambassador Sarek in a communication that you had become ill," Chris reflected, as he remembered the letter that had sent him on a sudden trip to Vulcan to visit his daughter years ago.

Arianne nodded, "When I first became ill, I felt as if something was exploding within my mind," she explained, remembering how she felt when she was ill on Vulcan. "When I woke up days later, I felt as if some life-threatening burden had been removed from my mind."

Frowning, Chris, who realized that a mind meld must have been performed to save her life, took his daughter's hand, "I will help you to uncover the mystery surrounding your past, Arianne. I promise."

* * *

After more pleasant conversation and a hearty lunch, Chris hailed a hover-cab and took Arianne across the city to a grove of oversized trees that was at the edge of the Starfleet Academy grounds.

There was silence as the two walked across the grass and stopped before a marble headstone, which had faded and weathered with time, that lay embedded in the grass.

"On New Year's Day 2232, I was walking the grounds, reflecting on the potential within the new year," Chris explained, as he watched Arianne kneel to look at the tombstone. "As I walked, I suddenly heard a cry come from this grove of trees. My curiosity got the better of me and as I entered this grove, I saw a woman laying there, dead and frozen. Beside her, I saw a small, but very beautiful baby alive and crying."

Placing a hand on the cold stone, Arianne nodded, "That baby was me, wasn't it, Father?" she asked, gazing up at Chris with curious eyes.

"Yes, it was," Chris replied, his voice solemn. "I couldn't very well leave you there, so I brought you to Doctor Boyce and after you were found to be okay, I decided to adopt you legally. Once you were legally mine, I left you in Doctor Boyce's care for a few hours and took the liberty of burying your mother here."

Nodding, Arianne brushed her fingers across the stone briefly, then, mentally putting the past behind her, she stood and, with tears in her eyes, she embraced her father, the one who had always been there for her.

"Father, when I suddenly became ill on my last visit to Vulcan, I saw Amanda's son place a hand on my face right before I passed out," Arianne explained, as she pulled back. "Why did he do that?"

Chris gave Arianne a thoughtful look, "Although I don't know much about Vulcans, I can only assume that he knew some sort of ancient healing ritual, as you became well soon after," he replied.

Arianne sighed, then, as a thought suddenly came to her, she changed the subject, "Father, all my recent experiences have helped me to decide what I want to do with my life," she stated, turning her back to the tombstone. "I want to spend my life being of help to others, Father, as I truly care about all beings."

Chris smiled, "I think that's a very noble ambition, Arianne," he said, as they walked out of the grove and on to the grounds of Starfleet Academy. "Are you wanting to be a volunteer or acquire a degree of sorts?"

"Well, I was thinking of going to the University of San Francisco and majoring in Psychology and getting a minor in Peace and Justice Studies," Arianne stated. "I also want to take basic, and perhaps, intermediate field medic courses so that I will be able to find work in many different fields later on in life."

Letting out a contented sigh, as his daughter was super-ambitious just like he was, Chris nodded, "Well, I know, as you are so much like me, that you'll do well," he stated. "How long do you think it will take?"

"Well, I'm planning to take the accelerated learning track, so I'll be fully qualified in about five years," Arianne said, excitement in her voice. "After that, maybe I'll find some work in the area."

Nodding, Chris took Arianne's arm and led her towards Starfleet Medical, "I know you'll soon be busy, but I wonder if you'd be willing to spend some time assisting Doctor Boyce and Doctor Puri at Starfleet Medical?" he asked. "They've been short on help ever since David McCoy took sick and went back to Georgia."

Arianne said nothing, so Chris continued, "They actually mentioned it to me awhile back and said that if you could help them out, they'd arrange for you to become qualified in both basic and intermediate field medicine. You don't have to agree to it, but it might give you some insight into helping others."

Smiling, Arianne nodded, "I would enjoy helping Doctor Boyce and Doctor Puri out," she replied, now feeling extremely excited that her ambitions would come to pass. "I can always take the first year or so of courses through distance learning while I work. I was having some apprehension about attending school with others, anyway, as I've never truly forgotten what happened last time I tried to do that."

Briefly remembering the pain that was brought upon Arianne as a child because of the poor civilian school system, Chris nodded, "I've always remembered that my little girl almost died," he said, feeling uncomfortable that it was again being discussed after so many years. "Anyway, let's go and let the people at Starfleet Medical know that you'll be on staff there. I think Doctor Boyce is working alone this morning, as Puri's off on some backpacking expedition in Europe."

Arianne smiled, "All right, Father," she said, smiling at Chris as they walked up the steps and towards the Starfleet Medical complex. "I'm excited to learn new things now that I'm back home."

"No matter what you do, Arianne, this will always be your home," Chris stated gently, as they entered the massive Starfleet Medical building.

As they walked down the main hallway to meet with Dr. Boyce, Arianne prayed in her heart that no matter where she traveled to and what she became, that she would never forget that her heart was in San Francisco.


	7. 2253: Instant Divergence

2253

Three years had gone by like wildfire.

Even though Arianne had not yet finished her degree from San Francisco University, which she was doing distance-learning while continuing to work with Dr. Boyce and Dr. Puri at Starfleet Medical, she had still endeavoured for as much education impossible: even that from medicine-related studies.

However, tonight was a milestone, for Arianne had just completed an intense program of Basic and Intermediate Field Medic studies that had been offered through the university. She and her very proud father had attended a ceremony that had officially christened her as a field medic.

"It was a beautiful ceremony, Arianne," Chris said, as he watched Arianne frame her newly acquired completion credential in Basic and Intermediate Field Medic Studies and hang it on his living room wall, just above the electric fireplace. "I am so proud of you, my daughter."

Arianne smiled, "At least I have my medical assistant job to support me while I get my degree in Psychology and Peace and Justice Studies," she said. "It's a relief to know that at least half of what I want to accomplish at this point in my life is achieved. I'm just worried about the rest of it now."

"You'll get your degree, don't worry," Chris said, smiling. "Now, I wish I could take you out for a celebratory dinner, but unfortunately, I have some work at Starfleet Command that needs immediate attention. The shipyard's sending me some blueprints of the Enterprise to look over and critique."

Nodding, Arianne moved over to the open kitchen's replicator and programmed a cup of tea, "I hope that ship of yours gets finished soon, Dad, I really do," she said, as the cup of tea appeared. "You've worked so hard all your life and you are finally getting what you deserve."

"Arianne, I consider raising you my greatest accomplishment," Chris stated, smiling. "Having my own ship will be great, but seeing you do as well as you have done this far means even more to me."

"Thanks Dad," Arianne said, as she picked up the mug and took a sip of tea, "Enjoy your evening."

Chris smiled and patting Arianne's shoulder, he grabbed his jacket and left the house.

Taking another sip of tea, Arianne walked into the living room and looked at all the pictures of starships that her father had all over the walls. A photo of the Enterprise would someday be up there too.

While her father would captain the Enterprise and do great things in space, she would use her civilian qualifications to do some good in the world. She would bring great honor to the Pike family name.

As she switched her view to the mantle, where pictures of her father with old friends were placed, Arianne suddenly got an idea of what she could do that evening. She would endeavour to help others immediately.

Smiling, Arianne placed the cup of tea on a nearby counter and moved over to the coat rack where her jacket hung. She could celebrate her recent accomplishment by visiting her medical mentor.

It was evening, so Dr. Boyce could probably use some company and would welcome both her visit and help in the massive medical building.

* * *

"Do you think you might attend medical school someday?" Dr. Boyce asked, as he walked alongside Arianne. "I know you're already doing some studies, but what about after you're finished?"

Arianne smiled and thought for a moment. She had left the house, intending to go to Starfleet Medical and visit Dr. Boyce, but she had found him out on an evening walk around the Academy campus.

"I'm not sure yet, actually," Arianne replied, gazing up at the stars. "By the time I get my degree, my dad will be off in space with the Enterprise and you'll probably be running the ship's Sickbay. Maybe I'll go back to Iowa and see if I can get a job at the Achievement Academy of Hope."

Dr. Boyce smiled, "You are so much like your father, Arianne," he stated. "Always shooting for the stars."

"Well, I think I'm more useful to society on the ground," Arianne chuckled. "My father's always been wanting to work in space, so I'm so glad that he's finally getting his own ship after all this time."

Giving Arianne a look, Dr. Boyce sighed, "It's not your fault that your dad passed up the Kelvin and gave it to Captain Robau," he stated, knowing full well that Arianne had always carried guilt over her father's stagnated Starfleet career. "He chose to stay on Earth and has enjoyed raising you without any regrets."

"You're right, Doctor Boyce, I do carry a lot of guilt over it," Arianne admitted, realizing that they were coming upon Starfleet Medical. "I try and use a bit of meditation sometimes to make it go away."

Dr. Boyce nodded, "Meditation's a good thing, it helps," he replied as they began walking up the steep staircase towards the medical facility. "Do you want to help me prep some hyposprays? There's some sort of cadet party in the dorms tonight and no doubt there will be pleas for hangover remedies in the morning."

Before Arianne could reply, the ground began to shake uncontrollably and loud cracks could be heard.

"I think we'd better get off the stairs," Dr. Boyce said, grabbing Arianne's hand and pulling her up the stairs towards the safety of the building's doorway. "We haven't had an earthquake in over 25 years…"

Suddenly, as they were close to the top, there was a louder crack and the stairs split open, sending both Arianne and Dr. Boyce falling sideways towards the edge of the stairs.

As the shaking intensified, both felt themselves fall over the stairs and their handgrip was broken.

Arianne let out a loud scream as she hit the ground hard and everything instantly faded to black.

* * *

Realizing that the shaking had stopped, Chris crawled out from underneath the metal table and was immediately shocked to see the extent of the damage: there was a massive cracks in the floor, furniture pieces and ceiling debris were all over the place, and PADD's were all over the floor.

"J.M.?" Chris shouted as he stood and carefully made his way around the debris to the door.

Chris pushed the damaged door open and was relieved to see his secretary, J.M. Colt, crawling out from under a damaged desk. She stood and looked at Chris, her expression frightened.

"Are you all right, Chris?" J.M. asked as she assessed the damage in the visitors area.

Chris nodded, "I'm fine, but I think many are not," he replied. "Are any of the communication systems working? We need to send out an emergency signal and then see where we can be of help."

"Communications are down here," J.M. reported, quickly noticing that her computer had fallen off the desk during the earthquake and was irreparably damaged. "We need to access campus communications from another terminal…If I remember correctly, the nearest terminal is at the campus library."

Sighing, Chris offered J.M. his hand, "If we go together, it'll be a lot safer," he stated, leading her towards the exit doors. "It should take about five minutes to get there if we use an emergency shuttle."

J.M. nodded and followed Chris from the building, hoping that very little damage had been done.

* * *

Loud sirens brought Arianne back into consciousness and she immediately realized that she was laying on the ground with her face in the grass. Her head was pounding mercilessly and her entire body hurt.

Letting out a groan, Arianne shakily stood and gazed around at the area in shock: there were uprooted trees and the paths were torn up. She looked up and saw that the stairs up to Medical were in ruins.

"DOCTOR BOYCE?" Arianne shouted as she made her way across the grass and up the damaged stairs towards Starfleet Medical, which had surprisingly taken very little external damage.

There was nothing but the repeated sirens for a moment then suddenly, Arianne saw a hand sticking out of some rubble just beside the doors. She limped up the damaged stairs and over to the rubble, suddenly noticing that a piece of an upper wall had fallen and probably buried Dr. Boyce during the quake.

Swearing under her breath, Arianne quickly moved the rubble away and was horrified to see a severely injured Dr. Boyce laying there with blood all over his face and uniform. He smiled at seeing Arianne.

"Doctor Boyce, I need to get you inside to the supplies," Arianne whispered as she knelt beside him and took his bloodstained hands in her own.

Dr. Boyce smiled, "It's too late for me, my girl," he said in a weak voice. "I am going to die very soon."

"You can't," Arianne whispered, sorrow in her voice. "You're my mentor…you can't die."

"Arianne, you have always been a good girl," Dr. Boyce croaked. "I am very proud of what you have done and will do…Reach for the stars always…Never hold yourself back from achieving greatness…never."

Gasping in pain, Dr. Boyce's eyes began to flutter, "Thank you for being with me as I die," he whispered as Arianne fought to keep tears falling from her eyes. "Always reach for the stars, Arianne…Always."

Arianne bit her lip and as Dr. Boyce ceased breathing, she gently closed his eyes and began to cry loudly.

It had taken only one catastrophic event to rob her of a great mentor and friend. Just one.

"HEY, I NEED A MEDIC!" a scared voice suddenly shouted, jolting Arianne from her sorrow.

Rising, Arianne turned and saw a bloodied cadet staggering up the stairs towards the building, "I'm a field medic and medical assistant," she explained to the cadet. "How can I help you?"

"The dorms are in shambles…" the cadet whimpered. "We're having a party…there were about 500 of us inside…I had just gone outside when the ground started shaking…I dunno where any help is…Communications are down so I had to run here…There's a lot of people that need help…"

Pushing her own thoughts of grief aside, Arianne grabbed the cadet's arm, "There's a lot of medical supplies inside," she explained, guiding the cadet towards the door. "I will help you, I promise."

Even though he was scared out of his mind, the cadet nodded and allowed himself to be led inside.

* * *

Relieved that even though everything else on campus was in shambles, his mountain bike still worked, Dr. Puri pedaled quickly towards the mountain of debris that used to be the cadet common room and dorms.

As he got closer, Dr. Puri noticed groups of cadets huddled in a circle near what he assumed to be the former entrance to the dorms. They all looked scared and some more injured than others appeared to be.

"Doctor Puri, it's about time you got here!" Chris, who had been on scene for nearly half an hour, snapped as he emerged from the swarm of cadets. "These cadets are saying that there's only a field medic on scene!"

Dr. Puri looked around at the chaos, "Has anyone been able to get a hold of Doctor Boyce?" he asked, suddenly noticing that J.M. was herding another small group out the side of the building

"Chris, some of the cadets are saying that Arianne's in there," J.M. stammered, her voice quaking as she helped the last of the cadets out of the ruins. "She's helping some of the more severely injured cadets."

Feeling as if he had suddenly been punched in the stomach, Chris swore, "She may be a field medic, but Arianne is my daughter first and foremost," he stated. "J.M., go and get her out of the building…"

Before J.M. could move, there was some cracking and the ruins began to collapse further.

"MOVE BACK!" Dr. Puri shouted, pulling Chris away from the danger zone.

Suddenly, Chris heard a shout from above. He looked up and was horrified to see someone that resembled Arianne coaching uninjured cadets to jump and land on the soft grass. He felt the ground begin to shake.

"Puri, it's an aftershock," Chris gasped, struggling to keep from falling as the ground shook.

Dr. Puri turned towards Chris just in time to see him run forward and extend his arms as if to catch something, "CHRIS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" he shouted anxiously.

Chris didn't reply, so Dr. Puri looked up just in time to see Arianne, who had lost her balance, falling towards the ground. He was immensely relieved to see Chris dive and catch her in his arms.

As the shaking stopped, Arianne gazed up at her father, "Dad, Doctor Boyce is dead," she whispered, her voice trembling with anxiety. "I hurt everywhere….It's so cold…."

Without warning, Arianne gasped in pain. Chris laid her gently on the ground.

"I-I hurt," Arianne whispered as she tried to hide the pain she was in. "S-So c-cold."

Chris quickly removed his jacket and placed it over his injured daughter, "PURI, GET A MEDI-SHUTTLE OVER HERE!" he shouted, seeing that the building was quickly crumbling to nothingness.

While the last of the ruins crashed to the ground, Arianne allowed the blackness to claim her.

* * *

By noon, every last survivor of the earthquake had been shepherded into the auditorium and were now eating meals, resting, and grieving the loss of those who were killed or fatally injured in the quake.

Civilian seismologists were currently determining the extent of damage all over the city and until they were able to get to Starfleet's property, the entire campus had been shut down. Instructors and other administrative personnel had been given the job of keeping the cadets in one place and calming them.

Classes had been temporarily suspended until things had calmed down and Starfleet Medical had been swamped with injured cadets and officers since the sun began to rise. Fortunately, Dr. Phlox had been in the area and since he was uninjured, he had come to assist Dr. Puri in doling out medical assistance.

Admiral Archer had heard about the quake, but was unable to get back to Earth immediately, as he was swamped with his own work. As a result, several civilian media outlets were now badmouthing him.

Of course none of the chaos or need for survival supplies mattered to Chris, as he had mentally shut himself off to the chaos and was focused on making sure that Arianne would survive this horrible time.

Despite all the chaos, Chris had immediately put her in a medi-shuttle and taken her over to Starfleet Medical. It had been fortunate that there were several nurses there to help keep her medically stable.

After Dr. Puri had come, having been kicked off of the scene by Phlox, Chris had watched as Puri quickly determined that Arianne not only had a broken leg, she also had internal injuries that needed surgery.

During the surgery, Chris had found himself outside, lingering next to Dr. Boyce's body. He had lamented on how much things had changed and after shedding a few tears, he had gone back inside to wait.

Now, as construction crews were working to move the debris and help Starfleet Security retrieve bodies from the destroyed dorms, Chris found himself sitting beside the bed where a recovering Arianne lay.

His daughter, his beloved only child, was laying there wearing a gown and covered by a blanket. He held the necklace that she had received from Sarek, as Puri had removed it to perform the surgery.

"Captain Pike?" a monotone voice sounded out as footsteps entered the room.

Chris turned and was surprised to see Spock lingering there, "Commander, what can I do for you?" he asked in a tired tone.

"I am inquiring to the condition of Ensign Pike," Spock stated. "There are many cadets inquiring as to how she is faring…Apparently, she was instrumental in lessening the possible fatality rate."

Chris sighed, immediately remembering that at last official count, over 100 cadets had been listed as killed in the earthquake when the dorms were damaged, "What's the most current count of fatalities?" he asked.

"As of half an hour ago, Captain, the number of fatalities has been increased to 200," Spock stated, raising an eyebrow at the Captain's curiosity. "No others were killed, sir…"

Chris grimaced, that must have meant that the cadets were having an unsupervised party without bringing it to the knowledge of any Academy personnel. Spock cleared his throat, as if waiting for a response.

"You have done well, Commander Spock," Chris stated, his voice tired. "You can go off duty now."

Before Spock, who couldn't help but be concerned over his superior's compromised physical and emotional state, Dr. Puri came into the room. He glanced at Spock, who silently left the room.

"Chris, go home and get some sleep," Dr. Puri ordered. "You've been here since dawn."

Chris shook his head, but before he could reply, he noticed Arianne's eyes fluttering.

"Puri, she's waking up," Chris gasped, seeing Arianne's eyes suddenly open.

Dr. Puri took one look at Arianne and immediately pulled his medical tricorder from his pants pocket, "Arianne, it's Doctor Puri, how do you feel?" he asked, quickly scanning her entire body.

"Sore and a little queasy," Arianne replied in a tired voice. "How badly off am I?"

Dr. Puri sighed, "I took your spleen out and casted your left leg," he replied, not wanting to reveal that during the initial scan, he had come across a more serious internal problem.

"What else is wrong with me?" Arianne asked, suddenly feeling like Dr. Puri was not telling her everything.

Fearful that Arianne would react badly to the news, Dr. Puri looked at Chris for a brief moment and then looked back at Arianne, "When I was doing the pre-surgery scan, I came across some abnormalities in your reproductive organs," he explained. "You have a condition known as endometriosis, Arianne."

"What is endometriosis?" Arianne asked, pulling herself into a painful sitting position so she could be at eye level with Dr. Puri. "It sounds like something I've read in one of those old-age medical textbooks."

Dr. Puri sighed, "Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus, the endometrial stroma and glands, which should only be located inside the uterus is found elsewhere in the body," he explained. "Since you're still young, there's a chance you might still have some fertility."

Feeling a sudden pressure from the incisions, Arianne slowly lay back down, "What can be done to treat this condition of mine?" she asked, deciding to assume responsibility for this unexpected twist in her life.

"Well, you'll need several weeks to recover from your present injuries before I can do anything," Dr. Puri stated, giving her a pointed look. "After you're healed up, we'll discuss some hormonal therapies."

Arianne sighed, "Now, I have to go and check on the cadets who were injured seriously enough for long term stays," Dr. Puri stated. "Just sleep for now and I'll be back to check on you later."

Before she could ask how she was supposed to sleep while in pain, Arianne felt a hypospray being pressed to her neck, "Chris, make sure she actually goes to sleep," she heard Dr. Puri tell her father.

As Arianne felt her body succumbing to the hypo, she heard a small chuckle from her tired father's lips.

* * *

Nearly a week later, a mass memorial service was held on the Academy grounds for all of the cadets who had perished in the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. Thousands of surviving cadets, officers, other administrative personnel, and even some civilians had attended in full dress uniforms.

A more private funeral had been held for Dr. Boyce just a day earlier and he was quietly buried in the same grove of trees where Arianne's mother had been buried years ago. Despite the fact that she was still recovering from her injuries, Arianne had chosen to attend the funeral in the company of Dr. Puri.

Since Admiral Archer was still off-planet, Chris had the unpleasant task of commandeering the funeral and giving a eulogy for all the cadets that had died, despite knowing hardly anything about most of them.

Fortunately, with the aid of Spock and several mugs of strong coffee, Chris had managed to deliver a strong eulogy that had brought some measure of unofficial closure to this tragedy. Following the eulogy, a massive tombstone with a specially crafted Starfleet insignia was revealed and dedicated.

Once the whole service was over, everyone had been ushered into the auditorium for some memorial speeches and reminiscing slideshows of those who had died. Those who didn't want to attend more memorial functions were allowed to either return to the remaining dorms or go off campus to grieve.

Although Chris was stuck going to the auditorium to deal with the grieving masses, Dr. Puri had whisked Arianne off campus so that neither of them would have to deal with anything else related to tragedy.

They had taken a taxi to a quiet library-type diner and Dr. Puri had forced Arianne to order food, despite her insistence that she wasn't hungry. He had then watched her closely, making sure she actually ate.

"I know you're dealing with a lot right now, Arianne," Dr. Puri stated. "However, I think that I'm going to need your help in assisting those who were affected by this tragedy. People will need a counselor to turn to and since I'm neck-deep in medical things, I can't think of anyone better for the job as a counselor than you...You're empathetic and a good listener."

Despite her reservations about being a counselor for others when her own life was full of holes, Arianne nodded, "I'll do my best to help others heal from this tragedy, sir," she replied in a soft voice.

"Thank you," Dr. Puri replied in a gentle tone. "Doctor Boyce would be proud of you today, Arianne."

Nodding, Arianne gazed at the table and wondered if she would ever feel a sense of contentment in life.


	8. September 2255: Automatic Lifesaver

**September 2255**

As she stepped off the shuttle, Arianne glanced around at the Riverside Shipyard and was amazed at the amount of care being put into the construction of the Enterprise.

After taking a moment to study the ship, Arianne turned and went into the recruiting station where her father was no doubt waiting to direct her through the paperwork and enrollment process.

The last two years had been filled with finishing her degree, assisting Dr. Puri at Starfleet Medical, counseling cadets with various stages of PTSD, and undergoing both rehab therapy for her leg and hormone therapy for the endometriosis. Otherwise, she had remained in excellent health.

Following graduation from university, Arianne had decided to take the last advice that Dr. Boyce had ever given her and "shoot for the stars," which meant enlisting in Starfleet Academy.

Her father had been both surprised and thrilled upon learning that she wanted to become an Academy cadet. Since her decision, Arianne had done a lot of meditation to calm her anxieties about her choice and had even written to Sarek and Amanda to inform them of her news.

Now, despite wanting to remain on campus and join the recruits at Orientation, Arianne found herself in Riverside because Dr. Puri had wanted a field medic to be on the next day's shuttle.

Although the chances were small that anything would happen, Dr. Puri had decided it better to be safe than sorry and since he was too busy to go, he had sent Arianne, as he trusted her.

Self-consciously smoothing down the cadet jacket and pants that she now considered hers, Arianne entered the station and pressed a buzzer outside of her father's temporary office.

"Come in," the voice of her father sounded out over the adjacent intercom.

Smiling, Arianne stepped forward and, as the door slid open, she entered the room, "Ensign Arianne Pike reporting for duty, sir," Arianne stated, giving a customary salute.

Chris smiled, his heart swelling with pride, "Ensign Pike, welcome," he replied, rising from his seat to stand at eye-level with Arianne. "It's a great relief to have a field medic on board the recruiting shuttle tomorrow, as one never knows what could happen despite it being a short flight."

Arianne nodded, "Yes, sir, I understand that," she replied in an official tone.

There was a moment of silence and Chris gestured for Arianne to sit, which she did, "So, Arianne, how was the journey from San Francisco?" he asked. "Did you encounter any problems?"

"It was a quiet flight, I was able to think," Arianne replied in a gentle tone. "If I never marry or have children, at least I'll be able to dedicate my life to a cause as worthy as Starfleet, you know?"

Again, Chris rose from his chair, "I have to inspect the Enterprise to see if there are any flaws thus far ," he replied, giving his daughter an encouraging smile. "Would you like to join me?"

Relieved that she was being given encouragement to explore this unexpected purpose in her life, Arianne nodded and smiling, she left the office with her father.

* * *

Later that day, as the sun was setting, Arianne and Chris entered the Riverside Shipyard Bar and immediately went over to the dining area, as to share a quiet dinner as father and daughter.

The inspection of the partially finished Enterprise had taken most of the day, as Chris had wanted to ensure that everything was being done to the letter. Arianne had been fascinated by the ship and was very tempted to ask if she could eventually serve on it after she was done the Academy.

Fortunately, the dining area of the bar was quiet, as most of the other recruits were just now arriving and things wouldn't be busy until later. Therefore, the dinner was very relaxed and the discussion revolved around the next day's schedule of events, as it would be very busy.

Around seven, noise began to emanate from the bar, signaling that new Starfleet recruits were arriving and wanted to indulge in a night of wildness before settling down to a strict routine.

As the most senior officer in the area, Chris had elected to stay and linger just in case things ended up out of control and required intervention. For bar scenes were known to get rowdy.

Despite wanting to spend time with her father, Arianne was exhausted from the combination of travelling and her earlier hormone treatment and had elected to rest on her father's office cot.

The hours had passed quickly and it was early morning when Arianne felt someone shaking her shoulder, "Hey, Captain Pike needs a medic in the bar," a strange voice said into Arianne's ear. "There was a fight and some local got the crap beat out of him by some Starfleet cadets."

Letting out a soft groan, Arianne sat up and saw that someone that was dressed like a custodian was standing over her, "What time is it?" she asked, rising from the cot.

"It's about one," the custodian replied. "Can you hurry? The poor local is bleeding all over the floor...I really have to get cleaning or my boss will yell at me."

Rolling her eyes, Arianne sighed, "I'll get some supplies and be there in a few minutes," she replied, stalking out of the office and dragging the custodian with her.

* * *

With a fully stocked med-kit in hand, Arianne strode into the bar and immediately saw her father standing over what looked like a body laying on the floor with blood all over his face and shirt.

"Captain Pike, you called for a medic?" Arianne said, kneeling beside the body and looking down at the bloodied face. "Mind telling me exactly how you got pasted by Starfleet cadets, sir?"

Suddenly recognizing the voice, Jim opened his eyes and was surprised to see the face of a friend whom he had not seen in years, "Arianne, is that you?" he croaked. "It's been a long time."

Thoroughly confused, Arianne looked at her father, "Captain Pike, does this young man have a name?" she asked, wondering why this local was acting as if he knew her.

"My name's Jim Kirk, don't you remember?" Jim replied in a groggy voice.

As she began to remember back to her school days in Iowa, Arianne's eyes widened, "James Kirk?" she asked, gazing at the bloodied up young man on the floor. "What happened?"

"I got pasted by some cadets and I'm drunk," Jim replied groggily. "There was this girl..."

Rolling her eyes, Arianne sighed, "Can you sit up so I can have a better look at your face?" she asked, relieved when Jim immediately sat up. "Did you lose consciousness at all?"

"After being beat up by five cadets, you would think so, but I managed to stay awake," Jim replied, wincing as Arianne touched his cheekbones and nose. "Owww, that hurts."

"You've probably got a fractured nose and damaged cheekbones," Arianne explained. "I can give you some mild anaglesics to get you through tomorrow, but Doctor Puri will want to deal with that more at Starfleet Medical...By the way, Jim, why aren't you in a cadet uniform?"

Chris cleared his throat, "He's not one of the new recruits, Arianne," he stated, crossing his arms.

"What a lot of potential you're wasting," Arianne muttered as she opened the med-kit and pulled out a pre-loaded hypospray. "Hold still, Jim, this will only take a moment."

Jim flinched, but allowed Arianne to give him the hypospray, "To stop the bleeding, Jim, I would either put a cold cloth on the side of your nose or just stuff tissues up your nostrils," she stated, rising and picking up the med-kit. "If you'll excuse me, I need my sleep before tomorrow."

"Doesn't one have to be good at math and stuff like it in order to pass some of the Academy courses?" Jim asked as he shakily got to his feet. "Last time I checked, you're not exactly an expert in mathematics or any of the related sciences."

Arianne shrugged, "Well, I'll manage," she replied. "Anyway, good night Jim, Captain Pike."

Casting a look of disappointment at Jim, Arianne hugged her father goodnight and left the bar.

Chris watched as Jim pulled some napkins from one of the holders, tore them into smaller pieces, and jammed the pieces up his nose to stop the bleeding.

"Jim, if you have some time, I'd like to talk to you," Chris said, crossing his arms in anticipation.

* * *

0755 came early and unaware that her father was standing outside watching as Jim rode towards the shuttle on a motorcycle, Arianne was in the cockpit with Lieutenant Sanchez, awaiting the order to take off. Following takeoff, they would be making rounds to check on the other recruits.

A loud klaxon suddenly sounded, causing Lieutenant Sanchez to curse, "It's coming from the bathroom," she told Arianne, gazing at the internal sensors. "If you'll excuse me."

Arianne nodded and as Lieutenant Sanchez left the room, she saw her father come into the cockpit with a grim smile of satisfaction on his face. He looked at the pilot.

"Begin launching sequence," Chris ordered, giving a smile to Arianne.

As the pilot began preparing for launch, Chris gave Arianne a glance, "Ensign Pike, now's a good time to start making rounds," he instructed, not wanting to tell her that her buddy Jim had decided to come be in Starfleet. "Lieutenant Sanchez will join you shortly...Dismissed."

Knowing that her father was right, Arianne saluted and respectfully marched from the cockpit to carry out her orders. Even though Captain Pike was her father, he was also her superior.

Pleased that the journey had started out so well, Chris gazed out at the beautiful morning sky.

As the shuttle made its way across Wyoming, Arianne came around the circular floor and immediately stopped in her tracks: there, sitting next to a hobo-like man who appeared to be in a deep sleep, was Jim, dressed in his clothes from the previous night.

"Hey, I thought you weren't coming," Arianne commented, walking over to where Jim sat.

Jim shrugged, "I figured that you needed someone to help you with your math and social skills at the Academy," he replied, a boyish grin on his face. "I figure maybe it'll help me grow up a little."

Before Arianne could reply, Jim turned and shook the shoulder of the sleeping man, "Hey, Bones, wake up and meet my friend," he said, wondering why there was no sudden response.

There was a moment of silence and without warning, the man unconsciously vomited and began to convulse in his seat. Arianne swore and quickly unbuckled the safety harness.

"Jim, go and get Captain Pike and a med-kit from the cockpit," Arianne ordered as she gently lay the seizing man down on the floor on his side just in time to see him vomit again.

Loud murmuring began as the other recruits suddenly realized what was happening and watched in astounded shock as the seizure stopped. At that, Arianne immediately began doing CPR.

Worried that his new friend would die, Jim quickly unbuckled himself, stood, and ran off to find the cockpit. He figured that Captain Pike would want him and Bones marooned at the first stop.

The man let out a loud scream, "STOP!" he shouted, his voice anxious as he remained unconscious. "I can't FEEL anything...I don't know where...I am."

Without warning, the man vomited a second time and promptly passed back into unconsciousness.

"You are NOT gonna die on me," Arianne hissed at the unconscious man as she checked the man's breathing again and resumed CPR.

While she worked, Jim returned with a med-kit in his hand and Captain Pike at his side, "Oh, man," Chris moaned, both angry and shocked to see what had transpired. "Did you search him yet, Ensign? He might have more of whatever he took on him."

"Jim can do that," Arianne replied, pulling back as the man once again vomited on the floor. "No offense, sir, but I'm a little more concerned about making sure the guy doesn't die on me."

Chris looked at the worried looking Jim, "You heard her, Kirk, do a pat down search," he ordered, turning away from the mess. "If you find anything, Kirk, hang on to it until we land at the Academy shuttlebay...Arianne, do whatever you must to keep the guy alive...I'll notify Doctor Puri to meet us at the landing port with a medi-shuttle and supplies...You both have your orders."

As Chris walked away, Jim nervously began to dig through his friend's clothes. hoping that he didn't find anything indicating that the man had just tried to commit suicide.

Arianne, meanwhile, had opened the med-kit and was using the supplies inside to save the man's life. There was little doubt that if the poor guy survived, he would need some serious help.

* * *

Only a day after landing at the Academy, Arianne had found herself defending the future career of the man she had just saved from death on the shuttle. Although she didn't know anything but his name and that he was a civilian doctor, she had no choice but to serve as an advocate.

Others, however, were very keen to send the man on his way once he was stable.

Immediately after the recruit shuttle had landed, Arianne had helped Dr. Puri get the stranger into the medi-shuttle and off to Starfleet Medical. Despite Jim's protests about wanting to stay with his buddy after being examined and declared stupid and severely bruised by Dr. Puri, her father had quickly ordered Jim off to the first orientation with the other recruits.

Not that being Captain Pike's daughter made her exempt from any of the enrollment process, she was also a field medic and the crisis on the shuttle was an immediate priority. Thanks to what she had learned in her field medic courses, Arianne had managed to keep the guy from dying.

Now that the guy was being treated by Dr. Puri at Starfleet Medical and would hopefully wake up in a short time with minimal brain and organ damage, Command was trying to decide what to do with him, as attempted suicides usually didn't end up making good Starfleet material.

Admiral Archer, who had returned to San Francisco just the day before, had been already tired and hearing that there had been an attempted suicide on the recruit shuttle had worsened his mood.

Because of the controversy over this first-time occurrence, a meeting had been called and Arianne had only been given an hour to read over the man's civilian file. From what she knew, the man, whose name was Leonard McCoy, he was a doctor who had recently left Atlanta, Georgia, and had been through terrible times recently. There was little time to read anything else on Dr. McCoy.

Although the meeting was only open to the Admirality, Academy Command, Captain Pike, and Arianne, Jim had skipped dorm assignment day and was waiting anxiously in the foyer.

"...With all due respect to Command, I may be just a lowly field medic and a Starfleet ensign, but I feel that this is one we can't afford to throw away," Arianne said, ignoring the intimidating looks that both Admiral Archer and the Academy Command officers were giving her. "Starfleet may be the thing that can help Doctor McCoy find something to keep living...Maybe it will help him."

There was silence and murmurs from several of the instructors, "You do realize, Ensign Pike, that there is a high risk that McCoy could pull a stunt like this after he's fully recovered," Admiral Archer, who couldn't help but think how much this young lady reminded him of his lost love, asked.

"I am aware of the risk, sir," Arianne firmly replied. "If McCoy recovers with no organ or brain damage, my recommendation is that he be ordered to undergo psychological counselling, a rehab program, and be given a roommate to keep him from trouble during his time at the Academy."

Chris gave Arianne an intrigued look, but said nothing, "Well, Ensign Pike, as you have been a counsellor since the earthquake two years ago, who do you suggest as a roommate for Cadet McCoy once he is well enough to move into the dorms?" Admiral Barnett, who was impressed that Arianne wasn''t intimidated about being before top authority figures, asked.

Arianne smiled, she knew that the best person for McCoy would no doubt help the healing process.

* * *

Feeling as if he had been hit by a shuttle, Leonard opened his eyes and was both confused and surprised to find himself staring at a white ceiling. Was he dead and in the afterlife?

Without warning, he heard a loud beep and whatever he was laying on was suddenly raised.

"Good to see you're finally awake, McCoy," Leonard heard as a strange man dressed in black pants and a dark blue shirt came into view with a blue wall behind him.

Still feeling confused, Leonard glanced around and suddenly realized that not only was he wearing something that resembled a hospital gown, there were multiple drip lines in both of his arms. He could also feel a catheter in him and a tube jammed into his stomach that he saw was hooked to some strange machine that seemed to be collecting the contents of his insides.

"Who are you and where am I?" Leonard snapped, surprised by how weak his voice sounded.

The blue-shirted man was silent and, pulling out a medical tricorder, he scanned his patient with it, "Hmm...vitals are still off a bit...Ah, the meds will fix that," he said, relieved that his very idiotic patient would pull through. "I'm Doctor Puri and you, Leonard, are one lucky person right now."

Wondering what this Dr. Puri was talking about, Leonard gave the man an odd look, "I have no idea what you are talking about, nor do I have any idea why I'm hooked to so much crap," he snapped, suddenly realizing that he couldn't move his legs. "Why can't I move my legs?"

"It's called a stasis field, it's to keep you from bolting," Dr. Puri replied. "How do you feel?"

Before Leonard could reply, he suddenly felt a wave of nausea and puked all over his blanket.

"Terrible," Leonard replied, laying back on his pillow. "What happened to me?"

Dr. Puri silently studied him for a moment, "According to Ensign Pike, the field medic that kept you alive on the shuttle to the Academy, you had a sudden seizure and vomited," he explained, more than a little concerned that Leonard couldn't remember. "Between the time that the medic found you and the shuttle landed at the Academy, you vomited nine times and had five seizures...That was nearly a week ago...I couldn't help but be worried about what would happen to you."

Before Leonard, who was shocked that he could have gotten so mysteriously ill for so long, could reply, there was a shout and another man, who was dressed in some sort of uniform, stormed into the room and stopped at the foot of his bed. He looked furious and ready to strangle something.

"Jon, take it easy on him," Dr. Puri commented. "McCoy just woke up."

The angry looking man glared at Dr. Puri, "Shut it, Puri, honestly," he snapped, switching his gaze back to the bedridden doctor. "I reviewed your file, _Doctor_ McCoy and right now, you only have TWO choices: either you can accept Starfleet's help or you can start packing right now."

"Help for what exactly, sir?" Leonard asked, really confused as to what this angry man was talking about. "The last thing I remember is being in my bed at the hostel in Riverside.."

Suddenly realizing that the man was not kidding, Jonathan grimaced, "Your buddy, Jim Kirk, found empty packets and bottles in your pockets," he explained, trying to control his temper. "After Doctor Puri pumped your stomach, the contents were a mixture of a large amount of various alcohols, and a great deal of an old-age substance known as LSD..."

Remembering that LSD was a dangerous hallucinogen and it was dangerous to mix it with alcohols, Leonard flinched, "Did I try to kill myself or something?" he asked, not remembering a thing. "By the way, could you tell me where exactly I'm at?"

"You're a patient at Starfleet Medical in San Francisco," Dr. Puri replied, giving Jonathan a concerned look about the patient's condition. "This is Jonathan Archer, a Starfleet Admiral."

_San Francisco, California? _Leonard thought, anxiously gazing down at his puke-filled blanket as he tried to process what had happened. _I don't even remember leaving Iowa..a shuttle?_

"Puri, get his counselor in here for an intro session right NOW," Jonathan hissed, as he could see that the poor doctor was overwhelmed with recent events and the amnesia and needed someone less intimidating to talk to. "Leonard, according to what I could find on your civilian records, you've had a substance abuse problem for the last few years and you need help to get better."

Leonard gave him a strange look, "Oh, I guess California has some rehab programs for washout doctors like me, huh?" he asked, figuring that he would lose his M.D. license over his "problem."

"Actually, Starfleet Medical has a rehabilitation program for people with problems like yours," Dr. Puri explained. "Once you're physically well enough to be out of bed, Leonard, I can start you in the program and also arrange for you to do your classes...You want to do the Medical track, right?"

Without waiting for Leonard to reply, Dr. Puri walked off into his office to contact Arianne, as until further notice, she had been assigned to be Leonard's counselor. Even though she was supposed to do a tour of the campus with the others today, Puri knew Captain Pike would excuse her.

"I don't understand why this Starfleet group would want to keep me around if I did try to kill myself in such a horrible way," Leonard commented, forcing himself to look Jonathan in the eye.

Jonathan yanked the puke-stained blanket off the bed and tossed it in a nearby laundry chute, "It's all been arranged, so just work on getting better," he replied, quickly placing a new blanket on the bed. "By the way, you'll have to see a counselor in addition to doing the rehab program."

"What kind of Starfleet counselor would want to see me in this state?" Leonard snapped, not caring that he was sounding insolent. "I look more like a hobo than I do a potential Starfleet officer."

Letting out a sigh, Jonathan glared at him, "Tell that to your counselor, I already know that," he replied. "Anyway, I have other things to do than watch you struggle through withdrawal and pain."

As Jonathan left, Leonard allowed himself a sigh. He had really done it to himself now.

However, before he could go to sleep, the door slid open and he could hear footsteps.

Annoyed, Leonard pulled himself into a sitting position just in time to see Dr. Puri come to his bedside with a blonde-haired woman who was dressed in a similar uniform to the doctor's. There was a single pip on her collar, yet she looked as if she had experience in counseling.

"Leonard McCoy, meet your counselor, Arianne Pike," Dr. Puri explained, watching as the woman surveyed Leonard. "Well, I'll leave you two to get acquainted. If you need me, I'll be in my office."

Arianne gazed down at Leonard, "By the way, Doctor McCoy, you're welcome," she stated.

"Were you the field medic who saved my life on the shuttle?" Leonard asked, remembering what he had been told not long ago. "Are you sure you're even old enough to pick up a phaser?"

Taking a seat on a stool usually reserved for medical staff, Arianne smiled, "I'll be 24 in November, actually," she replied. "So, if you're a doctor, how come you didn't just slash your wrists?"

"Um, I don't actually remember anything after going to bed in the hostel in Riverside," Leonard admitted in a sheepish tone. "From what I've been told, I think I had a blackout of sorts."

As if she had been expecting that reply, Arianne nodded, "It's nothing I haven't seen before," she commented. "Your new roommate will probably visit you in a few days so that you guys can get to know each other on a little more sober ground before you move into his dorm."

"Someone actually agreed to room with the Starfleet hobo?" Leonard asked, before he could stop himself from calling himself such a derogatory nickname.

Arianne gave him a look, "Actually, I recommended it and the person happened to be eager about hanging around you anyway," she replied, making a mental note to work on the man's confidence issues at a later date. "When you're released, Jim Kirk will be your roommate."

As if something had suddenly dropped on his head, Leonard's eyes widened, "Jim's here?" he asked, suddenly having a vague flashback of the young man sitting next to him on the shuttle and introducing himself right before they shared a small flask of alcohol. "I-I remember Jim..."

"Well, that's a good start," Arianne stated, rising from her chair. "Since you still have a lot of physical recovering to do, Leonard, that's all we'll talk about for today. In the meantime, Doctor Puri will keep me apprised on your physical progress and we'll arrange future sessions according to that...If you would like something to do, the good doctor will be able to help you with that..."

Feeling suddenly deprived of energy, Leonard lay back down, "Why do you care so much?" he mumbled, his voice groggy as he began to fall asleep. "I'm absolutely worthless..."

Fighting to keep a retort back, Arianne silently moved off towards Dr. Puri's office to talk to him.

Even though she couldn't divulge their sessions, she could ensure that Leonard was kept busy enough to not only restore his memory, but also perhaps give him a heap of self-worth.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, after ensuring that Dr. Puri would give Leonard something useful to do once he was feeling better, Arianne left Starfleet Medical and nearly crashed into Jim on the stairs.

"How's Bones doing?" Jim asked, concerned by how tired Arianne looked. "Can I see him?"

Arianne sighed, "Jim, you know he's restricted from seeing visitors until he's off suicide watch," she replied, putting her arm through his. "Let's just be thankful that Leonard's alive...It will be a long time before he's well, but he WILL get better..."

"What did he say about me being his roommate once he's out of rehab?" Jim asked as they walked down the steps arm in arm. "I bet he complained about it, right?"

Shaking her head, Arianne gave him a pointed look, "When Captain Pike and Doctor Puri allow him visitors, you can talk to Leonard about that," she stated firmly. "Anyway, since the orientation stuff is now over and there's some free time, let's go off campus and find a good restaurant."

Knowing that he couldn't get anymore information out of Arianne, Jim nodded and they walked off down the path towards where they could get a taxi to sneak off campus for the afternoon.


	9. October 2255: High Risk to No Risk

October 2255

It had been a month since the semester had started and Arianne was already feeling at home, as the Academy grounds were familiar to her. Being a both a cadet and a Starfleet officer was a little hard to juggle at times, yet she welcome the challenge and met it with finesse.

Despite Command being her main track, Arianne had also elected to take a few medical classes to become knowledgeable in the field should it ever be needed. Jim had declared her to be crazy, saying that she would burn out, but Arianne knew that she would not only survive, but thrive.

Because of the high stress involved in the sudden adjustment, Leonard's detox had taken nearly two weeks and it had taken another week for Dr. Puri to get him strong enough to eat real food.

Leonard had been so sick from the whole process that he had not wanted to talk to anyone, even Jim, about it. Therefore, at his request, Dr. Puri had put him in a quarantine room to recover.

Now, however, that Leonard was feeling better, he had been moved to a private room to finish out his return to health until such time as he could be transported to Jim's dormitory by a Security escort. Dr. Puri had also allowed Arianne to begin the doctor on her therapeutic track.

Arianne had hastily crafted and implemented the therapeutic track after the earthquake, as the many survivors had various degrees of PTSD that ranged from mild anxiety to suicide attempts.

Although her treatment plan wasn't foolproof, as a few had been too far gone emotionally and had killed themselves by subtle means, the majority of her patients had responded well to it.

Since the plan was stressful on her as well, Arianne had gone to classes and then back to her dorm, whom she shared with her old friend, Nyota, and an Orion named Gaila, for an early night.

Now, while it was still dark and all was quiet, Arianne was dressed in her cadet pants, boots, and the blue shirt that she used when meeting with clients. That was the luxury of her dual role as cadet and Ensign, she could dress however she wanted so that the client would feel comfortable with her.

Not that Leonard McCoy was a normal client by any means, Arianne knew, as she jogged down the path away from the dorms. He was both a mess and a mystery at the same time, which was rare.

Feeling sharp pains in her leg and stomach, Arianne slowed to a walk, but kept moving.

Dr. Puri had encouraged her to do strenuous physical exercise whenever possible, yet if her leg or stomach began to hurt, he had told her to ease up on the intensity, as long-term damage could be caused that would impact her internally if she didn't do otherwise.

Suddenly, there was a shout and Arianne saw a small hovercar land in the middle of a grassy space that was near the middle of campus. She watched as one of the doors opened.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Arianne quietly moved towards where the car was parked just in time to see a body be thrown out of it and on to the grass, "You had better keep in line next time, Kirk," a gravelly voice hissed. "Hopefully, we won't have to settle you down again."

Arianne silently watched as the car sped off into the air. She looked down and was horrified to see the body emitting groans and trying to move. Who had done this and who was hurt?"

"Are you okay?" Arianne asked as she placed a hand on the person's head and immediately felt blood. "What happened?"

Even though his brain was fuzzy and he was battling the effects of an unknown hypospray, Jim groaned, "A-Arianne, is that you?" he asked in a shaky voice. "W-Where am I?"

"Jim, what happened?" Arianne asked as she pulled her communicator from her belt and switched it on to the direct channel to Starfleet Medical, "Ensign Pike to Doctor Puri, do you read me?"

There was a moment of static, "Loud and clear, Ensign Pike, go ahead," the voice of Dr. Puri replied in a tone that indicated concern. "What is your emergency and location?"

"A-Arianne, I'm so sleepy," Jim moaned in a slurred voice. "I hurt...It's so cold."

"Requesting emergency transport for myself and Cadet Kirk to Starfleet Medical right NOW," Arianne replied, knowing that she had to get Jim to Starfleet Medical right away.

"Hang on, I'll lock on your signals," the voice of Dr. Puri replied. "Keep him awake."

There was more static and Arianne took hold of Jim's hand, "Jim, stay with me, all right?" she said in a gentle tone. "Doctor Puri, energize!"

As the two dematerialized, Jim mumbled something incoherent and passed into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Kirk's LUCKY to even be alive right now," Dr. Puri ranted as he and Arianne watched Jim lay on a surgical biobed, mumbling incoherently as several nurses prepped him for emergency surgery.

Arianne nodded, "I don't understand where and how he could have gotten those injuries," she replied in a concerned tone. "I talked with Jim after class yesterday morning, he was planning on spending the weekend in his dorm doing homework...He didn't contact me any more after that."

"Mild concussion, multiple fractures in both ankles, broken ribs, pneumothoraxes in both lungs, a fractured septum, bruises all over his body, and internal bleeding to top it all off," Dr. Puri stated as he quickly changed into surgeon's scrubs. "Cadet Kirk's a brat, but he doesn't deserve this!"

Arianne crossed her arms, "I agree, sir," she replied. "While you and your nursing staff are operating on Jim, I'll be contacting Captain Pike and informing him of the situation. After that, I have an appointment with one of my clients and then classes until noon...I'll collect Jim's homework and bring it to him later...At least we don't have anything but theory until January."

"Even after I'm done operating, I'm keeping Cadet Kirk heavily sedated until you get back," Dr. Puri replied, giving Arianne an anxious look. "Once he's awake, I'm sure Captain Pike will want to question him about what happened and Kirk will be more at ease with you there."

"Did you figure out what he was drugged with?" Arianne asked, as Dr. Puri moved towards the door that would lead to the surgical bay. "I know he was drugged with something powerful..."

Dr. Puri nodded, "It was a high dose of a simple sedative," he explained. "It won't do much harm, it'll just mean less anesthesia during surgery...Anyway, I should get started..."

Arianne nodded and watched as Dr. Puri went into the surgical area, "Oh, Jim, I swear that they will pay for having touched you in the first place," she whispered, turning away from the window.

* * *

0545 was too early for any normal person to be up, Leonard thought, as he strode off the turbolift and down the hallway to the room where he would have his second session with Arianne.

Although he had now elected to wear clean Starfleet pajamas and robe, Leonard had wanted to keep his hair and beard the same, as it felt like a shield to his pain-filled heart and mind. He had never met anyone like Arianne before, yet he didn't trust her completely, as she was a counselor.

He had been to see a counselor after each of the traumatic points in his life, yet it didn't help and he felt worse after the only unsuccessful session that he had attended. It was because of the guilt trips that the counselor had laid on him that he had developed a need for alcohol in the first place.

During one of his binges, he had met a man named Christopher Pike, a Starfleet Captain who happened to be scouring the country for people to recruit into a military organization known as Starfleet. Despite being drunk out of his mind, Leonard remembered agreeing to enlist.

However, the night prior to leaving for San Francisco from Riverside, Leonard had been experiencing panic and paranoia about being in a military group. He had impulsively gone to the nearest liquor store and bought over $100 worth of alcohol. On the way back to the hostel where he was staying, he had somehow gotten his hands on some LSD to mix with the alcohol.

_If it had actually worked...If I had actually died on that shuttle..._

Feeling sudden panic rise in his chest, Leonard placed a fist on his sternum and leaned against the wall to try and calm himself down. He didn't want to have a panic attack while in the session.

The work that Puri collected from his classes, as well as the work in the rehab program, had kept his mind occupied while his body took time to recover. He had not yet been issued a uniform, that would be taken care of when Captain Pike deemed him fit for release to his cadet dorm.

Taking a deep breath, Leonard forced himself to calm down and moved over to the door that led to where Ensign Pike was probably waiting. He took a deep breath and pressed the bell.

"Enter," a tired voice responded.

Letting out a sigh, Leonard stepped forward and, as the door rose, he saw that there was a chair reminiscent to the ones that were usually found in shuttlecrafts in the corner of the room with all of the safety straps hanging loose around it. Arianne was sitting on a couch in the other corner.

"Ah, Leonard, you're early," Arianne said, rising from the couch. "Please, come in."

Leonard entered the room and kept his eyes on the chair, "What's with the chair?" he asked, unable to resist. "It looks like something off of a shuttle."

"Well, since your physical recovery took a little longer than anticipated, I took the time to dig deeper into your records," Arianne explained as she took him by the shoulders and guided him over to the chair. "From what I found, I thought up a little exercise to start off with."

Leonard looked at the chair, "I'm aviaphobic and you want me to sit in that shuttle seat?" he asked, giving Arianne the look of a wounded puppy dog. "Are you crazy?"

"Guess what, McCoy, you're not in control right now," Arianne stated as she forced Leonard into the chair and quickly strapped him in securely. "Life never allows a person to be in control."

His eyes wide, Leonard gaped at Arianne, "You're insane," he gasped, trying to keep himself from vomiting yesterday's dinner all over the place. "Captain Pike and Doctor Puri-"

"Both of them know what I'm doing with you and trust my judgment," Arianne replied, cutting him off. "You're not officially a cadet until the uniform goes on, which means you aren't in control of whatever happens to you...You lost your freedom when you tried to kill yourself on the shuttle."

Leonard watched in horror as Arianne lowered some armrests and restrained his wrists to them using metallic restraints that were normally used on civilian mental patients to calm them.

Arianne silently noted that Leonard was feeling rather anxious, but she continued, "In fact, I think your ability to choose went out the airlock when you took that first drink of alcohol. You probably had something in your life that didn't work out and you turned to booze to make it go away."

"Stop," Leonard replied, his voice starting to shake, as Arianne had hit an emotional nerve.

Returning to her seat on the couch, Arianne shook her head, "Well, guess what, _Doctor_, booze only numbs things temporarily," she replied, malice in her voice. "You were one of the best general practitioners and surgeons in Georgia...You got involved with the alcohol and were so wrapped up in alcoholic delusions that you went to Riverside, hopped on the recruit shuttle, and hoped that it would all be over when you mixed it with drugs...Unfortunately, I just happened to be doing rounds on the shuttle and managed to save your life...Why, though, did I bother?"

Leonard was shocked at the fact that Arianne was verbally attacking him and the past he wanted to forget, but remained silent, "I saw the same potential in you that others once saw, that's why I saved your life," she stated. "If you want help, I am here to give it freely...all you have to do is ask...You have burdens that threaten to rip your soul into irreparable pieces of pain."

Feeling panic, Leonard struggled for a moment and stopped, "I euthanized my dying father just before a cure could be found for the illness that was killing him," he confessed, lowering his head and closing his eyes to block out the immense shame and guilt he felt over remembering the past.

Arianne was silent for a moment and let out a sigh, "That's rather devastating, Leonard," she replied in a tender voice. "However, I think you acted out of love, as you didn't want to see your father suffer and you could end the pain for him. It was an act of love, Leonard, nothing else."

Before Leonard could stop himself, he began to sob uncontrollably, "Between that and my divorce, my world crumbled and I was left as nothing," he confessed, annoyed that his many tears were getting into his beard and causing his face to itch. "I figured that if I was nothing, why not just do away with myself and stop wasting matter, time, and space that others used productively?"

Knowing that she couldn't push Leonard too hard in his recovering state, Arianne rose from the couch and moved over to the chair, "I think that's enough for today, Leonard," she said softly.

Overwhelmed that he was finally able to feel some grain of emotion after years of absolute numbness in both mind and body, Leonard continued to sob as Arianne undid the wrist restraints and unbuckled the straps that held him securely to the chair. He then went strangely quiet.

He sobbed for a few more minutes and suddenly felt a straw being placed to his lips, "Drink this," he heard Arianne say. "Drink it slowly."

Leonard opened his eyes and saw that Arianne was holding a bottle of yellowish liquid with a straw in it to his lips, "What's that?" he asked, taking a sip. "It tastes really strange."

"It's orange juice, it will relax you," Arianne calmly replied, not surprised that Leonard couldn't remember what orange juice tasted like, for he had been dependent on alcohol for so long.

After sucking up some more of the juice, Leonard felt himself yawning, "Why am I so tired all of a sudden?" he asked, glaring at Arianne. "I felt just fine before I came here."

"When a person has a major emotional release, it can cause some fatigue," Arianne explained, taking the juice away before Leonard dropped it on the floor. "I'll escort you back to your room so you can get some rest...Once you've rested, we can talk about arranging another session."

Not wanting to know how the counselor knew where he was currently staying within the hospital, Leonard nodded and rose unsteadily from the chair, immediately feeling Arianne grab hold of him.

"Take it easy," Arianne chided as she led him from the room and down the hallway back towards his room. "If you don't want to sleep, maybe do some of your schoolwork."

Leonard glared at her, but remained silent as they entered the large room that Dr. Puri had assigned him during his recovery. Arianne was impressed by the neatness of the room: the corner biobed was neatly made and a stack of PADD's was on the desk against the other wall. The chair was pushed into the desk and the desk lamp was the only light on in the room.

"Captain Pike personally conducts daily inspections of my room and warned me that if I was sloppy, I would have to scrub the entire floor with a toothbrush," Leonard stated, knowing that Arianne was trying her best not to comment on the neatness of the room.

Arianne nodded, "Is there anything else I can do for you, Leonard, before I leave?" she asked, silently hoping that he didn't need anything so that she could first check on how Jim's surgeries were going and then go into town and deal with the incident that had taken place earlier.

"No, thanks for the session, it helped," Leonard replied, avoiding her inquisitive gaze.

Knowing that she couldn't press Leonard too hard quite yet, Arianne nodded and left the room in absolute silence. As the door closed, Leonard wandered over to his desk and gazed at his work.

Exhaustion filled every fibre of his being, yet he had to get his work done so he wouldn't fail.

* * *

Suddenly hearing the sounds of footsteps moving across the floor, Jim opened his eyes and realized that he was laying on his back and unable to move his legs.

"M-My legs," Jim whimpered, wondering if he had gotten into a fight the night before and ended up suffering paralyzing injuries that would put him on a shuttle back to Iowa. "W-Where am I?"

Arianne, who had been reading a PADD about Command Protocols for class, suddenly noticed him awake and rose from the stool beside his bed, "Jim, it's okay," she said, taking one of his hands in her own. "I found you beaten up and sedated on the grounds early this morning."

Jim was silent for a moment, staring at Arianne as he tried to remember what had happened to him after he left class, "Oh no, they grabbed me from the path and sedated me, didn't they?" he asked, a sudden fear in his tired voice. "How did they find me on Earth? It's so big..."

"I don't know how they found you," Arianne replied, gently massaging Jim's hand to keep him calm and relaxed until Dr. Puri got back from rounds. "I will handle it, though, Jim. I promise you."

Despite feeling sudden pain, Jim groaned, "No, Arianne, you can't go confront them by yourself," he gasped, remembering what they were capable of. "They'll kill you or do worse, you know they are just as bad as Kodos...You need to stay on campus, where it's safe."

"Tarsus was a long time ago, Jim, and we both got through it," Arianne stated. "I thought you had died when Kodos imprisoned you for stealing...He knocked me out for fighting and the next thing I knew, I was on a ship in space with my father holding my hand, saying it was all going to be okay."

Jim blinked, "Why can't I feel my legs?" he asked. "Did they paralyze me or something?"

"Section 31 or the Tarsian Order aren't known for paralyzing anyone," Arianne explained, her voice stern. "Their intent is only to make life a living nightmare for survivors and threats...Anyway, your legs are in stasis because both of your ankles have multiple fractures and you have a catheter in you so that you don't need to use the bathroom at all...That's all I'm going to tell you, as you need to stay as calm as possible for when Doctor Puri arrives to talk to you."

Jim hissed, suddenly feeling pain in both his head and chest, "Oww, everything hurts," he moaned, closing his eyes to try and block out the pain. "Give me some pain meds, Arianne."

"I can't give you anything, Jim, Doctor Puri is in charge of your care," Arianne retorted, continuing to massage Jim's hand. "Hopefully, he'll be here in a few minutes..."

Suddenly, the door to the surgical recovery bay slid open and Dr. Puri, who had not only done rounds, but also changed back into the standard medical uniform, entered the room.

"Hey, Doctor Puri, I feel terrible," Jim moaned. "Can I have some stuff for the pain?"

Dr. Puri pulled a medical tricorder from his pants pocket and scanned Jim with it, "I want to wait until the anesthesia's out of your system before I give you anything else," he replied in a monotone voice. "For starters, Cadet Kirk, I would really like to know the source of your injuries..."

Jim tensed up, "I don't exactly remember, sir," he replied, fear in his voice.

"Well, that's not surprising since you have a mild concussion," Dr. Puri replied, ignoring the fact that Arianne was giving Jim a strange look. "Ensign Pike, could you keep Cadet Kirk company while I go inform Captain Pike that he's up and ready for questioning?"

Without waiting for an answer, Dr. Puri turned and left the room, "I don't want to talk to Captain Pike about what happened," Jim hissed. "He can't do anything about it anyway...Besides, I don't remember everything, just bits and pieces...I was under heavy sedation for most of it."

"Jim, I promise that everything will be okay," Arianne whispered, gently smoothing his rumpled hair back out of his face so that it wouldn't stick to the bandage on his forehead. "I'll dig into my stash of old fashioned combat stuff that I keep under my bed before I go downtown."

Jim let out a small chuckle, "I can't figure out how you smuggled that stuff to the Academy without anyone knowing about it," he said. "Just don't wait until after dark if you HAVE to go, okay?"

"I'll be back on campus and in my dorm before dark," Arianne promised. "Just be nice when Captain Pike comes to talk and don't fight Doctor Puri if he wants to keep you here for a while."

Jim nodded, "I'll behave if you will," he replied, a yawn in his voice. "I'm so tired..."

"Go to sleep, Jim," Arianne gently chided, mussing his hair. "I'll be back tomorrow."

As Jim allowed his eyes to close, the last thing he saw was Arianne walk out of the room.

* * *

The sound of a hover-gurney being transported down the hallway caused Leonard to lift his head from the desk. He cursed silently, realizing that he had fallen asleep writing essays.

Pushing the PADD's to a corner of the desk, he rose and moved over to his bed.

Even though there was still a lot of work left to be done, Leonard knew that he would be better at completing it after having a sleep. The session had completely drained him of energy.

He had just gotten into bed and was prepared to fall asleep when the door suddenly opened and lights flooded the room, "Settle down, Cadet Kirk," Leonard heard the voice of Captain Pike say as a hover-gurney was brought into the room and settled in an unoccupied corner of the room.

"...need something for the pain," Leonard heard Jim mumble in a groggy tone. "Screw Puri.."

As the accompanying nurses locked the gurney into place, Captain Pike wandered over to Leonard's bed, "How are you feeling, Cadet McCoy?" he asked, seeing the fatigue in Leonard's eyes and wondering if the young man had managed to overexert himself somehow.

"The combination of this morning's session and doing essays for classes kinda made me a little tired," Leonard admitted, forcing himself to look Pike in the eyes. "I was about to get a nap in..."

Chris nodded, "Well, after you get some sleep, I have an additional assignment for you," he explained, gesturing over to where Jim now lay, whimpering incoherently. "Since you appear to be both physically and mentally healthy, I think we should put your medical skills to good use."

"Get away from me," Leonard heard Jim hiss at one of the nurses. "Get me some pain stuff..."

The nurses ignored Jim's hissing and quickly finished securing the bed to the wall. They gave Captain Pike a look of impatience and left the room in absolute silence.

Rolling his eyes, Leonard sighed and, getting up from his bed, he wandered over to Jim's bedside and put a hand on Jim's arm, "Hey kid," he said in a monotone voice. "How are you feeling?"

"Bones," Jim rasped, surprised that Leonard was still alive. "You're alive..."

Leonard sighed, "Yeah, kid, I'm alive." he replied. "Why are you being mean to the nurses?"

"I hurt all over and they're not doing anything about it," Jim snapped groggily. "My legs are in STASIS, Bones, they don't trust that I'm not going to go AWOL with two broken ankles."

Despite wanting to lecture the kid about the fact that doctors knew best, Leonard instead found himself placing a gentle hand on Jim's arm, "Jim, what exactly happened to you?" he asked, seeing if a touch of compassion would break the kid's poorly put on brave facade.

"I don't know," Jim replied. "I was walking back to my dorm after class and the next thing I know, I'm here and it's nearly two days later...I have no idea how I ended up in the hospital."

From the doorway, Chris raised an eyebrow. Given how hard Puri said that Cadet Kirk had been hit in the head and face, he wasn't surprised that there was still some memory loss.

"Well, I'm sure I'm not the first to tell you that you sound tired," Leonard stated, a no-nonsense tone in his voice. "I'm sure Puri won't mind if you go to sleep for a little while. You may be the son of the almighty George Kirk, but you are human and even humans need breaks once in a while."

Jim flinched at the mention of his dead father, but said nothing, "Right now, kid, you look like absolute crap," Leonard continued, taking note of the bruises and bandages that decorated Jim's face, making his only recognizable features his blue eyes. "Let yourself fall asleep already."

"I have a concussion, I have to be woken up every two hours for the next 24 hours," Jim retorted, trying to sound annoyed. "It doesn't exactly make me want to go to sleep only to be poked awake by some nosy nurse two hours later. It's been like that ever since I woke up here...It sucks."

Leonard was silent for a moment, "If I can get access to some proper medical supplies, maybe I should be the one to wake you every two hours," he commented. "I know I'm not officially off probation yet, but I am a medical doctor and if something happens, I'll be able to help you."

"Pike or Puri won't let you," Jim groggily replied, fighting sleep.

Knowing that Jim was on the verge of falling asleep, Leonard crossed his arms, "I'll be up working on stuff for my classes anyway, Jim," he stated. "Just relax and let your body recover."

Jim's reply was a soft snore, indicating that he had fallen asleep, "Nicely done, Doctor McCoy," Chris commented, moving over to stand next to Leonard. "He woke up around two and demanded to be allowed to go back to his dorm. The stasis field is the only thing keeping him in bed."

"I know I shouldn't have offered to be Jim's doctor-," Leonard began, suddenly cut off as Chris raised a hand to silence him.

"Since you'll be up anyway, I think we should go talk with Doctor Puri about how you seem to be the only one who can get Cadet Kirk to behave himself," Chris stated. "He's in his office."

Realizing that he was now stuck as Jim's doctor until most likely until the day he died, Leonard nodded and turning away from Jim, he silently followed the impressed Captain from the room.

* * *

As the sun began to set, Arianne and a cadet named Kevin Riley stepped out of a hovercab in front of a seedy-looking club in the civilian underworld of San Francisco.

Both were dressed in black jeans, boots, t-shirts, leather gloves, and black hoodies with sunglasses over their eyes so that they wouldn't be recognized. In their gloved hands, Arianne and Kevin looked determined, as if it would hide the fear that was collecting inside of them.

"We shouldn't be here," Kevin whispered, as he followed Arianne to the entrance.

Arianne glared at Kevin, "Refer to me as Arrow once we're inside," she hissed. "You and I both know that this is the only way for justice to be served. Nobody will be killed, so quit worrying."

Kevin nodded, "I'll let you do the talking," he replied. "Things will go better if you do it."

In silence, the two entered the club and were relieved that it was still empty. They made their way to a booth in the back, where a robust looking man sat, sipping on a tall drink.

"Do you still go by Lucas Reed on Earth?" Arianne said, moving into the view of the man sitting at the table. "I figured that you wouldn't go by the name you used when helping Kodos come to the decision to kill all those people on Tarsus...Even now you shouldn't go by that name."

Shaken, the man set his drink on the table, "What do you want, Arrow?" he asked, suddenly recognizing the voice that belonged to one of the black-clad figures before him.

"I want to know why you and your buddies from Section 31 felt it appropriate to attack Jim Kirk last night and leave him for dead on the Academy campus," Arianne hissed in a malicious voice that was very unlike her personality. "You know you're not allowed on Starfleet property."

The man scoffed, "Jimmy Kirk was a little twerp who deserved what he got from Kodos," he snapped, rising from the table. "If you hadn't been beamed away, I assure you, Arrow, that Section 31 would have given you your due...Kodos certainly would have liked to see you suffer."

Suddenly, Arianne lunged forward and decked the man, sending him to the floor, "Let me make myself clear, Reed," she hissed, stepping away. "If you EVER even think about trying to go after Jimmy again, I promise that I will kill you and not feel any remorse for it. Are we clear?"

"You killed enough of the guards without remorse just to escape execution, Arrow" the man snapped, seething with humiliation as Kevin pulled some rope from his pocket and began to him up in an impenetrable rope cage. "All the while, I just thought you were a little girl who was just on a school trip with her French classmates...Section 31 was very impressed when you managed to not only save yourself, but all of your traveling companions from execution."

Kevin quickly finished the rope cage, "Do you want to do anything else to him, Arrow?" he asked, deepening his voice so not to be recognized. "There's still a little time."

Arianne reared back and decked the tied up man in the face once more, "I think we're done," she replied softly, glaring at the man with malice in her eyes. "Stay away from Jimmy, Reed, or I will be back and will carry out my promise to do away with you so fast you won't see it coming."

Swearing under his breath as he struggled to get free, Reed watched as the two figures silently left the bar. A moment later, he heard the roar of a hover-taxi pulling away from the curb.

Wrenching one of his hands from the ropes, Reed managed to extract a strange looking communicator from his pocket, "Reed here," he reported. "They've resurfaced from the past."

"...Take no action yet," a voice crackled. "Only gather information on them...for the moment."

* * *

Feeling less pain than he did the day before, Jim opened his eyes and found that despite there being two beds and a desk in the room, he was completely alone.

"Bones?" Jim groaned, trying to wake up. "Bones, where are you?"

Hearing no reply, Jim sighed and wiped a strand of sweat from under his eyes. He had suffered a small nightmare that was a combination of past memories that he had tried desperately to forget.

The night had gone reasonably well, Leonard had woken him every two hours and done standard checks on him before allowing him to go back to sleep. Since the man had been given special instruction and permission to do hands-on medical work, Bones had been doing a good job.

However, from what he had heard through nurse chatter, Jim knew that Leonard would probably be allowed to take on a normal cadet schedule and live in the dorms pretty soon. Once the good doctor was living cadet life to the fullest, he would probably forget about everything else.

Suddenly, the door slid open and footsteps entered the room, "Jim, are you awake?" the gentle voice of Arianne asked. "I told you that I'd be back in the morning."

There was a grunt and a small light over Jim's bed flickered on, illuminating the recovering cadet in a small pool of light, "Doctor Puri let me bring you your breakfast," Arianne continued as she moved over to the bed and placed a tray on the portable table, "A bowl of sugar free oatmeal with a spoon in it, three slices of whole wheat toast with no butter and a small glass of soy milk with a straw in it...I sent a list of foods that I know you're allergic to to the hospital cafeteria yesterday before I went downtown so that you wouldn't get sick."

"Did you go down there by yourself?" Jim asked, suddenly remembering that Arianne had promised that she would take care of things. "My blood pressure was through the roof all last night, I was worried about you...I was threatened with about five different medications for it."

Arianne sighed and took Jim's hand, "No, I got Riley to go with me and we wore disguises," she replied. "I also used my pseudo name...Reed is still a double-agent, he's so pathetic."

"You didn't kill Reed, did you?" Jim asked, worried that it had gone terribly wrong.

"No, I only punched him in the face a couple of times and Riley tied him up in a rope cage," Arianne reported, taking a seat on the stool that was next to Jim's bed. "By now, he's probably out and whining to his buddies at Sector 31 and the Tarsian Order about what happened."

Jim sighed, "Just be careful," he replied. "Stay on campus, they're not allowed here."

"Jim, you wouldn't be in this hospital bed right now if they followed rules," Arianne retorted with a sigh. "Anyway, I have orders from Doctor Puri to get you eating breakfast, so let's begin."

Arianne picked up the spoon from the oatmeal, "If you want to talk during breakfast, Jim, that's just fine as long as you eat everything," she explained. "Ready to let me feed you?"

Jim nodded and allowed Arianne to feed him, as she would treat him with the utmost dignity.

After all, they were friends and she had risked her life to see that he would be safe from now on.

* * *

Having just been in Captain Pike's office to be measured for a cadet uniform, provided with a student identification chip, and a pass card to the dormitory that he and Jim would be sharing, Leonard strode down the hallway towards Jim's hospital room to see how his 'patient' was faring.

"...That oatmeal reminded me so much of the crap we had to eat on Tarsus," Leonard suddenly heard Jim's voice filter through the door. "...at least the toast was good..."

There was a chuckle, "...Maybe if you behave yourself, Puri will release you to your dorm for more rest," the voice of Arianne replied. "Even after you ARE out of the hospital, you do realize that you won't be able to go to classes without a hoverchair and possibly an escort...Maybe you should just rest in your dorm for a few days after your release..."

"...I wish I hadn't eaten so much, Arianne, now I'm sleepy," Leonard heard Jim say in a groggy voice. "I am so TIRED of being cooped up in this hospital without anything to do."

"...I'll talk to Captain Pike and maybe he can send over some of your notes and assignments," the voice of Arianne replied. "As long as you don't overdo it, I think you can do some of the work..."

Leonard heard a yawn, "...For now, however, I think you should go to sleep," he heard Arianne say in an equally tired voice. "I've got a lot to do today, but I'll come see you when I can..."

There was some incoherent mumbling and the door slid open, "Ah, Doctor McCoy," Arianne said as she stepped out into the hall, coming face to face with the doctor. "How are you doing?"

"Captain Pike had me fit for a cadet uniform today and gave me my student identification stuff," Leonard replied, slightly intimidated by the woman in medical blue. "He and Doctor Puri are talking about letting me leave either tomorrow or the day after.."

Noting the less than enthusiastic tone in his voice, Arianne raised an eyebrow, "I thought you would be happy about getting out of rehab prison," she commented, echoing his earlier words.

"Well, I am happy about not having to be in the rehab program anymore," Leonard replied. "I just don't want to leave Jim in the hospital by himself. It kills me to admit it, but I've gotten used to having Jim around and he seems to rely on me to be there for him."

Arianne nodded, but remained silent. _The helped becomes the helper _she thought happily.

"Doctor Puri also said that now that I'm gonna be discharged, the face-to-face counseling sessions are done, but we can keep in contact by email?" Leonard asked, secretly relieved to not be a patient of this woman any more, as she intimidated the heck out of him by her blunt, yet caring, nature.

"I only do face-to-face sessions with the high risk patients who reside in the hospital or those who still have a high-risk of harming self or others when they are discharged," Arianne explained, not wanting him to know that she had cut down on her work at Starfleet Medical because of the amount of coursework she had coming. "You're no longer at risk for either of those things...I will keep in touch through email, however, and I've already signed you up for a flight simulation course so that you can deal with that aviaphobia...According to Lieutenant Sanchez, you seem to have a problem with flying that needs to be handled accordingly...You'll get emailed about that later."

Leonard held out his hand, "Thanks for saving my life," he said in a gruff tone.

Arianne nodded and shook Leonard's hand, "Good luck to you in the cadet world, Doctor McCoy," she replied, turning away. "I see you making a great name for yourself in Starfleet."

In silence, Arianne walked off down the hallway, as she had to check in with Dr. Puri to give him a report on Jim, after which she had to go to her dorm and change for her class at 0700.

* * *

Two days later, Arianne left one of the buildings and her legs shook as she made her way outside. It was annoying that she had just done over 100 push ups for messing up in Quantum Physics.

It was tough without Jim being there, coaching her through it, as she was no good at heavy math.

The fact that she tried her best didn't matter, the instructor expected perfection out of everyone who took his class and if a student got an answer wrong, they would do push ups in the classroom.

Normally, Jim, who was at the top of the class, helped her get through class without having to do a single push up. He knew they were hard on her, so he did the push ups for all her wrong answers.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Arianne smoothed down her sweat-covered uniform and that was when she noticed two figures across the green space. One of them had a beard and was dressed in a cadet uniform while the other was wearing hospital pajamas, had his legs covered by a heavy blanket, had tons of drip lines in his hands, and was riding in a hoverchair down the path. His face was still heavily bruised and his nose was still bandaged, but he was actually talking and looking pleasant.

Arianne smiled, although she was concerned and wondered how in the world Dr. McCoy managed to convince Dr. Puri and Captain Pike that Jim was ready to be released from Starfleet Medical.

However, as she was in the role of cadet and not a medical assistant at the moment, what Dr. McCoy and Jim did was none of her concern. Her focus was getting to her next class on time.

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne gripped the PADD's that she had collected for Jim in one hand and her own work in the other. She was looking forward to visiting Jim later on that evening.

The dual role of cadet and Ensign was tough, yet Arianne knew that she had to endure not only for her father and Jim, who knew she could do it, but also for her sense of self-worth.

Although the past had been hard on her, Arianne had no idea that the future would be harder yet.


	10. November 2255 I: Attack in the Safe Zone

**November 2255 **

Soft music filtered through the library as several first year cadets clustered around Arianne, all wishing her a happy birthday and luck on the first group Bridge simulation test the next day.

Grateful to have survived another year, Arianne snuck a gaze over at the librarian and was grateful to see that the librarian had merely slapped on a pair of soundproof earmuffs and was allowing the party to continue. The first years had the entire place to themselves, after all.

Normally, a party wouldn't be permitted at the library but Jim, with his charisma and charm, had talked the librarian into allowing them a "study party", which just happened to have music.

Of course, as it was a study session, there was a table filled with study PADD's and food, yet nobody felt like actually settling down and hitting the books. When it came to a Bridge simulation test, not much could be learned from the books anyway, as it was more of a hands-on class.

Arianne watched for a moment as Cadets Finnegan and Mitchell tried to talk Gaila and Nyota, who were clearly not interested in them, into sharing a dance. She then moved over to a set of chairs near a pod of computers where Jim sat with his casted feet resting on a padded stool.

After about two weeks of riding in a hoverchair, Jim had put up such a fussy tirade about being an invalid that his ankles had been put in walking casts just to shut him up. Now, despite feeling a lot better with his other injuries healed and the many bruises gone, he still wasn't allowed to be on his feet anymore than necessary. Therefore, his activities were severely limited.

"I'm so annoyed with Bones right now, Arianne," Jim lamented. "He's been such a workaholic ever since Puri gave him hospital shifts to help him practice the crap he's learning in class. He even kicked me out of our dorm earlier so that he could get some undisturbed sleep beforehand."

Arianne managed a wry smile, "Hey, Jim, do you wanna go outside for a minute?" she asked, her tone nervous. "It's great that all of you put this party together for me, but-"

Jim's crabbiness quickly vanished and was replaced with concern, "Ah, your party anxiety," he stated, painstakingly getting to his feet. "As long as we're back in time for Captain Pike to bring the cake over, I don't think anyone will miss us..."

Just then, Finnegan wandered over, "Jim, you GOTTA come help me talk Uhura into a dance, buddy," he moaned, aggravated that Mitchell had gotten Gaila to dance with him.

"Oh no, I'd rather kiss a Romulan than try and talk to Uhura," Jim replied, remembering that the last time he had tried to talk to Uhura, he had ended up in a bar fight against five cadets.

Finnegan sighed mournfully, "Ah well," he lamented. "Anyway, Jim, you leaving already?"

"No, Jim's not going, we're just going outside to get away from the crowd for a minute," Arianne replied in a gentle tone. "You know how I hate parties, Finnegan, but you and Jim-"

Arianne was suddenly cut off by phaser fire and she turned around just in time to see the librarian slump over the desk, having been shot. A moment later, black-clad figures entered the commons.

"ALL CADETS LEAVE NOW!" a gruff voice shouted, brandishing a phaser rifle.

Terrified, nobody moved for a moment and then in a flurry of chatter, the group quickly moved towards the door. Jim and Arianne moved forward, but were stopped by one of the figures.

"Cadet Kirk, you can go, but Cadet Pike cannot," a gravelly voice said, grabbing Arianne's arm.

Hearing that Arianne would have to stay, the other cadets suddenly stopped and despite murmured threats of harm from the figures, they focused their attention on Arianne and Jim.

Not wanting his only true friend to be harmed, Jim shoved the figure away, "Get away from her," he snapped with a grim determination in his voice. "I won't leave my friend behind."

The figure pulled Arianne close and as Jim lunged to grab her back, he saw movement and an object suddenly being thrown in the direction of his head. Arianne let out a scream.

As the object hit his head and he fell into blackness, Jim heard shouting and more phaser fire.

* * *

Relieved that there weren't any urgent patients flooding the halls of Starfleet Medical that evening, Leonard found himself sitting at a computer in the staff lounge, studying for upcoming exams.

Exams weren't until the middle of December, yet Leonard found it easier to study material bit by bit and then allow his brain to process it properly. Of course, he wasn't one who LIKED studying, however, it was an enjoyable activity in comparison to attending a party with his fellow cadets.

There was suddenly a loud crackle, "Doctor McCoy, to the supply room please." the voice of Dr. Puri sounded over the intercom. "We've got to go out on a field call right away."

Letting out a sigh, Leonard saved his work and closed off the file. He rose, quickly stretched, and moved out of the hallway. It didn't take him to reach the supply closet, the door to which was open.

"Doctor Puri?" Leonard asked, uncertain of whether or not to enter the supply closet.

Almost immediately, Dr. Puri came out of the closet with his arms full of medkits, "There was some sort of cadet study party at the library that was disrupted," he explained, handing some of the medkits to Leonard. "Nobody knows who the attackers were, but there's quite a few injuries."

Leonard nodded, "Are we going to be bringing anyone back here?" he asked, concerned.

"Only if the injuries are severe enough to require hospital treatment," Dr. Puri replied as he shut the closet and they began hurrying down the hallway with the medkits. "Captain Pike and the rest of the instructors are already there and Security's questioning everyone about what happened...We need to round up as many nurses and other medical personnel as we can."

Gritting his teeth, as he had hoped for a quiet night, Leonard continued following after Dr. Puri.

* * *

Noise flooded the library as instructors quickly separated the more seriously injured cadets from those who were just overcome with terror about what happened. The dead librarian had been removed from the scene and would be sent to Medical for an autopsy later.

While the instructors worked to keep the injured cadets calm until medical help arrived, Captain Pike and Security busied themselves with trying to get information about what happened.

Most of the cadets were too terrified to talk, but Finnegan and Mitchell were awed about Cadet Kirk's brave attempt to halt the attack and quickly grabbed Captain Pike's attention.

"...What do you MEAN they took Cadet Pike for no apparent reason?" Captain Pike hissed, giving Finnegan and Mitchell angry glances as he stood off to one corner with them and heard their recounting of the incident. "If the attackers were after Cadet Pike only, why was Cadet Kirk taken?"

Finnegan shrugged, "Cadet Kirk tried to fight them off from taking her and he got a heavy object thrown at his head," he recalled. "After that there was a small explosion and when the smoke cleared, the attackers were gone with both of them. Mitchell and I..."

"Yes, I know what you and Mitchell did," Captain Pike said, holding up a hand to stop the shellshocked cadet from talking too much. "Did you and Mitchell talk to Security already?"

Suddenly looking nervous, Finnegan flinched, "Mitchell and I have been too busy, sir," he replied.

Before Captain Pike could reply, he saw a stream of men and women clad in both medical and cadet uniforms enter the library led by Dr. Puri and Leonard. They all were carrying med-kits.

"From what I've been able to discern, Doctor Puri, the cadets were having a bit of a study birthday party for Cadet Pike when they were suddenly attacked by some unidentifiable assailants," Captain Pike explained, angry to hear that someone had taken his daughter for no reason. "When they tried to take Cadet Pike, Cadet Kirk intervened..."

Horrified that Jim had been involved, Leonard interrupted before he could stop himself, "Sir, do you know the current location of Cadet Kirk?" he asked, ignoring Puri's shocked glance.

"Both Cadet Pike and Cadet Kirk are currently missing," Captain Pike explained in a solemn tone.

Dr. Puri suddenly glanced at Leonard, "Doctor McCoy, you take half the group with you and go attend to the minor injuries," he ordered briskly. "I'll take the others with me and treat the majors."

Realizing that he wouldn't be able to find out anything about Jim until after the chaos had died down, Leonard nodded and, yelling an order, he led some of the cadets towards the minors.

While the medical responders and Security dealt with the situation, Chris moved off to an area that wasn't overrun by cadets. He needed just a moment to hope that everything would be all right.

* * *

What felt like hours later, Jim felt a cool hand touching his face, "Jim, wake up," a soft voice said.

Suddenly feeling intense pain in his head, face, chest, and back, Jim opened his eyes and found that his wrists were bound together and upward by heavy, tight bindings that were attached to a ceiling chain. He saw Arianne beside him, also restrained, but with one hand worked free.

"It's okay, Jim, I'm here," Arianne said, her voice shaking as she rubbed his face. "You woke up once about eight hours ago and tried to fight...After they tied me up, they tortured you."

Gasping as heavy pressure shot across his shoulders, Jim shivered, "Where are we?" he asked groggily. "Did we...are we at the underworld base of Section 31?"

"Yeah, I think we are," Arianne replied as she worked to free her other hand from the contraption that was holding her captive. "I know what they want from me...I'm prepared to endure it."

Coughing anxiously, Jim almost choked, "Y-You c-can't," he rasped. "It'll kill you this time."

"No, Jim, I can survive it," Arianne stated firmly. "You, on the other hand..."

Just then a door slid open and footsteps could be heard, "Ensign Pike, are you prepared for the testing to commence?" a female Vulcan voice asked.

"I am prepared as long as you keep your promise concerning Jim," Arianne replied in a monotone voice, knowing that she had to lock away all fear inside of her if Jim was going to be set free.

There was silence and more footsteps, "Release Cadet Kirk and beam him back to his dorm," a gravelly voice said. "Ensign Pike has provided the co-ordinates already."

"A-Arianne, don't," Jim gasped, his voice shaking uncontrollably, suddenly feeling more pain as he felt the bindings being unlocked. "D-don't LISTEN to her...you c-can't."

"Give Cadet Kirk a sedative," the female Vulcan voice ordered. "He can't betray us that way."

Before Jim could protest or muster the energy to fight back, he felt a hypo being pressed into the side of his neck, "A-Arianne," he gasped, feeling his world fading to nothingness.

* * *

Letting out a sigh, as the previous night was so overwhelming that all cadets had been given the day off from classes, Leonard stepped out of the shower and quickly dressed in his med uniform.

He moved over to the mirror and picked up the electric razor, prepared to shave away the beard that he had used as a shield to get him through the beginning of his new life. Since last night, Leonard had realized that with all of his old life behind him, he had better ditch the beard too and grow up.

As of 0400, there had been no word concerning the whereabouts or conditions of either Jim or Cadet Pike and Captain Pike was no doubt working overtime to find something, if anything. It was nearly 0900 now and all comms systems were triggered to alert the whole campus to any developments.

The number of injured cadets actually requiring hospitalization was surprisingly few and Dr. Puri had a few cadets working shifts today so that Leonard could rest or study if he wanted to.

Until the cadets were found, Captain Pike had declared the entire campus on Red Alert Lockdown, which restricted off-campus travel to everyone but him and the instructors. Admiral Archer had also been notified of the situation and was doing everything he could to help search.

Wondering what on earth he was going to do with his time since he couldn't leave the dorm and was no longer tired, Leonard moved back into the sitting area and suddenly heard weak coughing.

Inclining his ear, Leonard waited and a moment later, there was more coughing and from what he could determine, it was coming from the direction of Jim's sleeping area.

"Jim?" Leonard asked, quickly grabbing his emergency medkit from the corner shelf.

There was weak, incoherent mumbling and then silence.

Frowning, Leonard moved into Jim's sleeping area and his jaw dropped, "Jim?" he asked, shocked by the fact that Jim, who was still wearing his cadet uniform, was sprawled across his bed on his stomach and shuddering violently. His face was swollen and his eyes were closed.

"...run, can't let Kodos kill anyone else," Jim mumbled, unaware that Leonard had pulled out his medical tricorder and was scanning his body. "...That's enough...no more...stop..."

Without any warning, Jim's body jerked violently and he vomited on the carpet, "..let so many starve...so many died...she shouldn't have to take it just for me..." he moaned in a quaking voice.

"Jim, it's Leonard," Leonard hissed, gently placing a hand on Jim's arm. "What happened?"

Jim was silent for a moment, "...Bones," he gasped, his voice a whisper. "..Where am I?"

"You're in our dorm," Leonard replied, appalled at Jim's horrifically unstable vital signs.

As if fighting some invisible force, Jim tried to move but was unable to lift himself, "...They're holding me too tight, run while you still can." he moaned. "...Before they get you too..."

Raising an eyebrow, Leonard quickly moved over to the communications terminal on Jim's wall and sent a message to Captain Pike to contact him immediately, as it was an emergency.

There was instantly a buzz, "Cadet McCoy, this had better be important," the tired voice of Captain Pike sounded out over the audio feed. "You know we're in a Red Alert Lockdown."

"Sir, it's about Jim," Leonard replied, keeping one eye on the trembling Jim. "I came out of my dorm shower this morning and found him laying on his bed on his stomach...He's disoriented and possibly in the beginning stages of shock...He also puked on the floor."

Leonard heard some swear words and muffled orders, "Okay, I'm going to have an orderly from the hospital lock on to his signal and beam him over-" Captain Pike's voice said.

A loud whimper suddenly could be heard and Leonard turned around just in time to see Jim pull himself upright and attempt to stand on his walking casts. Swearing under his breath, Leonard moved away from the comm and placed his arms under Jim's arms to keep him from falling.

"Have to save her," Jim gasped, trying to pull out of Leonard's grip. "She got me out of there."

Leonard kicked Jim's blankets off the bed, "You need medical attention, Jim," he grunted, quickly unbuttoning Jim's cadet shirt and tossing it on the floor, revealing masses of colorful bruises and strange burn-like cuts all over Jim's shoulders and back. "What did they DO to you?"

"F-Feel sick..." Jim gasped as pain shot across his shoulders and down his back. "Bones..."

Nodding, Leonard gently lay Jim down on the bed so that he was laying on his stomach, "There, try and take a deep breath if you can," he said in a soothing tone. "Captain Pike-"

"I'm sorry...Captain Pike...I couldn't protect her," Jim moaned, scared that he was going to be booted out of the Academy by Captain Pike for not protecting Arianne. "...Don't kick me out..."

There was silence for a moment, "McCoy, use whatever you have in that emergency medkit of yours," Captain Pike's voice ordered. "I'll have a medi-shuttle sent over to your dorm instead."

"Any word on Cadet Pike yet?" Leonard asked, quickly placing blanket's over Jim's back to keep him warm and comfortable until the medi-shuttle got there.

"Not yet," Captain Pike's voice replied in what sounded like a tone of solemn defeat.

Suddenly feeling a panic in his chest about Arianne possibly dying, Jim turned a violent shade of green and threw up on his pillow, "C-can't breathe," he moaned. "So much pain..."

"Screw the medi-shuttle," Leonard snapped. "Beam us both to Starfleet Medical NOW."

There was silence, "Hang on, don't do anything impulsive," the voice of Captain Pike stated in a concerned tone. "I've already sent a priority message to Starfleet Medical and they've dispatched a medi-shuttle to your dorm...It should arrive shortly."

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Leonard gently lifted Jim and pushed the vomit stained pillow off the bed, "Just gotta hang on for a few more minutes, Jim," he said, laying his friend back down.

Jim mumbled incoherently and grabbed Leonard's hand in a weak grip, "Stay," he whispered.

"I'll notify Admiral Archer and meet you both at Starfleet Medical," Captain Pike's voice replied, as he could hear that Jim was trying his best to hold on to consciousness. "Pike out."

Gritting his teeth, Leonard continued to hold Jim's hand, hoping that everything would be okay.

* * *

Around noon, Finnegan and Mitchell were out for a jog around campus, despite being ordered to stay in their dorms per the rules of Red Alert Lockdown protocol. They were bored and needed distraction from memories of the horror that had taken place the night before.

Their fellow cadets still hadn't been found and the thought of them never being found was so troubling that both cadets had left their dorm and were now evading the Security patrols.

Almost immediately, Finnegan noticed that he and Mitchell weren't the only ones breaking the rules due to sheer boredom: a male officer, who was dressed in full uniform, was lingering near the fountain, humming a strange tune as he stared at the grass in deep thought.

"Oy, you there, laddies, what are you doing out of yer dorm?" the man asked, suddenly looking up and noticing the two cadets. "Ye should be where it's safe, not out in the open."

Mitchell chortled, "We're bored to tears being shut up in our dorm," he whined. "Jim and Arianne haven't been found yet and they're our friends...We feel helpless sitting around doing nothing."

Nodding in understanding, the male officer turned and, gazing out at the desolate campus, he suddenly tensed up, "Laddies, there's something in red walking across the north lawn."

Suddenly seeing what the strange officer was seeing, Finnegan swore, "Oh, crud, that looks like Arianne from what I can see," he hissed in an anxious voice. "We should get over there."

Before the strange man could reply, Arianne, who had been relieved to see that people were around that were obviously Starfleet, made her way over to them, her body trembling despite being in a cadet uniform. She looked shaken and unsure of herself.

"Come here, lass, you've been missed," the man said, gently pulling the shaking cadet into a hug to help her feel safe. "Yer father has been mighty worried about ye."

Arianne gently pulled away, "Who are you?" she asked, giving the man a strange look.

"The name's Montgomery Scott, I'm a cadet here," the man replied. "Are ye all right, lass?"

Blinking, Arianne let out a sigh, "I'm so tired," she stated in a dull voice. "I just want to go see my father and maybe get some sleep...My legs feel so heavy from walking."

Before anyone could stop her, Arianne slowly sank to the ground and leaned against Montgomery's leg for support, "Just call a med-shuttle so I can get some sleep," she muttered, closing her eyes and using the strange cadet's leg for a much needed pillow.

"Get going, Finnegan," Mitchell barked. "Alert Captain Pike and get a medi-shuttle..."

Worried that Jim would never be found, Finnegan nodded and took off running. Mitchell gazed down at his fellow cadet that was now sound asleep and had an almost relieved look on her face.

* * *

On the other side of San Francisco, a cloaked figure approached a shuttle that was on the edge of the airstrip of an abandoned municipal airport with a large metal suitcase in hand.

There was a moment of quiet and suddenly, a Vulcan elder dressed in a dark robe descended the boarding ramp and moved over to where the cloaked figure lingered.

"Do you have the samples ready for transport to Vulcan?" the Vulcan elder asked, extending his hand for the suitcase. "I trust the subjects did not struggle like they did on Tarsus?"

The hooded figure lowered its hood, revealing Commander T'Pol. who, since the decommissioning of the Enterprise NX-01, had worked on scientific studies of select subjects for study on Vulcan, "One of them did, Soval, but he was dealt with sufficiently. While he was unconscious, samples were taken and then released because the other negotiated his freedom."

"Watch your emotion when around anyone that knows of the attack," Soval stated as T'Pol handed the suitcase to him. "My hope is that Section 31's carelessness in capturing the subjects will not be discovered by Starfleet and traced back to the Vulcan Science Commission."

T'Pol gave a brief shake of her head, "They will be sufficiently dealt with, I assure you," she replied in a tone that carried much malice. "How long until a complete analysis can be undertaken?"

"A detailed analysis of all of the samples of each subject will take some time," Soval stated. "There are different reasons why James Kirk and Arianne Pike were chosen out of the many candidates we could have selected for analysis...Their vague personal histories is one of them."

"I will continue to observe the subjects from a distance," T'Pol stated. "As more time passes or if there are peculiar findings from the samples, there may be reason to conduct further testing."

Soval nodded and silently gripping the case, he made his way up the boarding ramp.

As the shuttle closed up and departed, T'Pol turned and walked back up the empty airstrip.


	11. November 2255 II: Conspiracies to Learn

**November 2255 - II**

_"...McCoy, he looks like absolute crap!" _

_"Watch how loud you are, Admiral, or else I'll kick you out of here for bothering my patient..."_

_Stern voices, strange hissing and a humming sound that felt both cold and warm..._

His eyes fluttered open and a white ceiling was the first thing he saw.

There was something padded underneath him that was emitting both hot and cold pulsewaves.

"Bones?" a voice asked, immediately muffled by a strange air-filled mask over his face.

Two figures came into view: Bones and a face that he didn't recognize.

"Jim?" Bones was asking him. "...Admiral Archer, stand back so I can do my job properly."

Jim's eyes suddenly felt heavy, "Look, McCoy, I don't know WHO you think you are-"

Even though he couldn't feel pain at the moment, exhaustion overtook him and he knew no more.

* * *

Within the safety of Captain Pike's apartment, Arianne sat on the couch and read over PADD's that contained the homework she had missed in being away from class for the last two days. She didn't even want to put her cadet reds back on yet, instead she wore simple civilian clothes and slippers.

Even though she had been released after 12 hours of tests and observation at Starfleet Medical and the only thing they found was various bodily samples had been taken, Arianne didn't feel like re-integrating herself back into the massive group of cadets just yet.

It was fortunate that her father had been able to get her on an indefinite medical leave from classes, Arianne knew, as she placed the PADD's on the coffee table and leaned back. She still tired easily and her mind was filled with not only memories of her captivity, but of Jim's brutal torture.

To make the recovery easier, Arianne had asked her father if she could move out of her dorm and stay with him until after Christmas, as she just wanted peace and quiet to heal. He had agreed.

Nyota and Gaila had been supportive of her decision and promised to keep in touch.

She had told Command everything about her own torture session, but not the details of what happened to Jim and why, as she wanted to be the one to tell Jim everything.

From what she had heard, Jim had also been placed on indefinite medical leave from classes, but was having a harder time recovering than she was. He had just barely regained consciousness.

Tears came to Arianne's eyes. The reason that she had negotiated Jim's freedom was that she knew he would rather die from torture than talk to enemy, so she had risked herself for him.

"Are you all right?" a familiar voice asked. "Did you have another nightmare?"

Arianne looked up and saw her father standing there with a large cup of tea in his hands, "No, I was just thinking about what happened again," she admitted as he father sat down next to her. "I know I have homework and notes to study, but all of the memories are still so fresh in my mind."

Chris nodded and offered her the cup of tea, "I think you need a rest, it'll clear your mind," he said, sitting down beside her. "Work will only serve as a meaningful distraction for so long, Arianne."

Nodding, Arianne took the cup of tea and inhaled it, "Vulcan spice tea?" she asked, recalling the times when she and Amanda had shared it during her stay and recuperation on Vulcan.

"When you and Cadet Kirk first went missing, I contacted Ambassador Sarek for help," Chris explained. "After talking with Lady Amanda, he felt it prudent to send some to Earth."

Taking a sip of the tea, Arianne suddenly began to feel sleepy, "You drugged this, Dad, didn't you?" she asked, quickly setting the cup on the table so that she wouldn't drop it.

"No, actually, I didn't," Chris replied, gently lifting her legs on to the couch. "The tea is a natural relaxant and drinking it made your body realize that it's time for you to sleep."

Arianne sighed, "While you're sleeping, I have to go over to Starfleet Medical and proctor an exam for Cadet Kirk," Chris stated as he quickly grabbed a blanket from over the couch and covered her with it. "Some cadet named Monty Scott insisted on guarding the front door, which I find very odd but I'm okay with it as long as he stays outside...I just want you to have quiet while you sleep."

Despite feeling ready to drop off, Arianne grabbed a PADD from the table, "Dad, can you make sure Jim gets this letter?" she asked. "It's just a reassurance that I'm okay and he should relax."

Chris took the PADD and slipped it into the pocket of his uniform jacket, "I doubt Doctor McCoy will let him read it right after the exam, but I'll make sure he gets it," he promised. "Get some sleep."

As Arianne fell asleep, she felt her father kiss the top of her head and heard him leave the house.

* * *

Ignoring the pins and needles pain in his back and shoulders, Jim, who had been given a light breakfast and dressed in a clean gown by the nurses earlier, watched Leonard pace in front of the bed with a scowl on his face. He hadn't been able to stop this from happening and it angered him.

"You only woke up in a coherent state this morning," Leonard snapped, annoyed that Captain Pike was going to make Jim take an exam from his hospital bed. "You still need a lot of rest, Jim."

Jim scoffed, "The exam won't take very long and Captain Pike will end it early and let me finish later if I end up getting too tired," he replied. "It's the last exam until term finals next month, Bones."

"I don't understand how you can't remember what happened to you and Cadet Pike, yet you can remember all the crap you need to know for a class exam," Leonard replied. "Once that exam is done, I'm restarting the wave therapy on your back and making you eat something, all right?"

Irritated that he was still in the hospital, Jim sighed and studied the many drip lines that were in his arm and hand, "I just want to go back to the dorm and sleep," he lamented,

"Forget it, Jim, you're still suffering effects of massive shock and dehydration, not to mention a second concussion," Leonard retorted. "Besides, you can't do much without assistance right now because of your back, chest, and shoulders, plus your current lack of motor strength and co-ordination prevents you from even being able to get to the bathroom without a lot of assistance..."

Before Jim could argue, the door slid open and Captain Pike entered the room with a large PADD tucked under his arm. Jim tried to raise his arm in a salute, but he lacked the strength to do so.

"At ease, Cadet Kirk," Captain Pike replied in a gentle tone. "How are you feeling?"

Suddenly self-conscious of the Commander of Cadets seeing him in such a state, Jim wouldn't look him in the eye, "I'm fine, sir," he replied in a monotone voice. "Ready to take the exam."

Captain Pike raised an eyebrow and gazed over at Leonard, who looked concerned, "Doctor McCoy, I believe Admiral Archer is wanting a chat," he stated. "You can take the call in Doctor Puri's office...I think it's regarding your behavior towards him the other day when he was here..."

"Admiral Archer was here?" Jim asked, as he couldn't remember the Admiral being there.

Leonard sighed, "Don't worry about it, Jim," he replied. "Take your exam and I'll see you in a bit."

Knowing that he was going to be in trouble for throwing Admiral Archer out of Jim's hospital room with such a verbal tirade as he delivered, Leonard silently left the room, so not to upset Jim.

Captain Pike moved over to the bed and placed the large PADD on Jim's bed, "It's a standard exam and you have an extended time limit because of the circumstances," he explained, watching as Jim reached for the PADD. "If you have any questions, I'll sitting be over in the corner, all right?"

Jim nodded and, as he picked up the exam PADD, Captain Pike moved over to the corner and sat in a chair that had been placed there for this very purpose. He had already proctored Arianne's exams and now, after Kirk did his, he would see about arranging counselors for both of them.

The whole attack was traumatic for everyone involved and although there were currently counselors seeing to the mental health needs of the other first-year cadets, Chris knew that Jim and Arianne would each need special one-on-one counseling to help them recover from this experience.

It concerned him that Cadet Kirk apparently had no memory of what happened while Arianne seemed to remember every little detail. He knew that Section 31, who was most likely responsible for the attack, had probably tortured Cadet Kirk into a state where he would have died had it not been for Arianne negotiating his freedom in exchange for being submissive to special torture.

The media had heard of the attack and had immediately confronted Winona Kirk at her home in Iowa about neglecting her Kelvin baby to Starfleet's care, only to have him end up the victim of a horrendous attack on the Academy campus, where it was supposed to be safe.

Winona had become hysterical as a result and had phoned Chris, wanting to know if Jim had fought or allowed himself to be killed. Appalled that Winona didn't seem to care that her youngest son had suffered injuries severe enough to require hospitalization, Chris had cut off all further contact.

He hadn't told Jim about Winona's call, as Jim clearly didn't want anything to do with his past and besides, Chris knew that any mention of his mother would send Jim back into shock and Dr. McCoy would ban him from visiting for triggering a major physical setback in his patient.

"Captain Pike, sir," the tired voice of Cadet Kirk spoke, pulling Chris out of his thoughts.

Chris looked up and saw Jim was holding out the exam PADD, "I'm finished the exam, sir," Jim stated, extreme fatigue in both his voice and eyes. "It took me about an hour..."

Rising from his chair, Chris moved over to the bed and, taking the PADD, he quickly locked the exam and sent the file off to where the proper instructor could mark it. He then put the PADD under his arm and gazed at the bedridden cadet, concerned at how tired and pale he was.

"Before I forget, Cadet Kirk, I have a letter for you from Arianne," Chris stated, taking the letter from his pocket and placing it on the bed within Jim's reach. "She asked me to give it you since she still tires easily and probably wouldn't make it here without falling asleep..."

Jim picked the PADD up and skimmed it in silence. His face suddenly fell, as if something hit him.

"Cadet Kirk?" Chris asked, concerned by the sudden change in readings on the monitor above the bed as he watched the cadet begin to sweat and tremble violently, all while gripping the PADD.

Suddenly unaware of anyone else being in the room, Jim dropped the PADD on the bed and began rubbing his wrists, as if he had been bond, "D-don't LISTEN to her," he gasped. "You c-can't.."

Without warning, Jim howled and, turning his head, he placed a hand on the side of his neck, "A-Arianne," he gasped, suddenly turning green and puking all over the floor. "DON'T!"

All the color draining from his face, Chris pressed the nearby intercom, "Get Doctor McCoy in here, NOW!" he hissed in an urgent tone as he snatched the PADD off the bed. "Medical emergency."

Placing the PADDs on the portable table, Chris looked up just in time to see Jim trying to get out of bed, "Need the bathroom," Jim moaned in a gasping voice. "Need to puke...please."

Swearing under his breath, Chris helped Jim to stand and guided him to the tiny patient bathroom, "S-she talked them in to letting me go," Jim moaned as he keeled over and began emptying the contents of his stomach into the toilet. "T-They sedated me to shut me up."

Chris silently swore, as Cadet Kirk was obviously beginning to remember the attack and, given his delicate physical state already, the rush of sudden memories were making healing impossible.

"Jim, what the heck-?" Chris could hear Dr. McCoy's voice behind him. "What happened?"

Jim vomited once more and then slumped over the toilet, "A-Arianne saved me from being killed by Section 31," he gasped, gagging anxiously and silently praying that he was done puking for a while.

Leonard's eyes widened and he shot a glare at Chris, "Help me get Jim back to bed, Captain Pike, and then I think we need to talk," he hissed, gritting his teeth in anger.

"C'mon, Jim, back to bed with you," Leonard said in a gentle tone as he and Captain Pike lifted the shaking Jim up and guided him out of the bathroom. "You need some fluids and more sleep."

Chris helped Leonard lay Jim down on the bed and then watched as the doctor covered Jim back up and pressed some buttons on the side of the bed. He was impressed with the doctor's compassion.

Almost immediately, there was a humming sound and Jim went limp, "Just relax, Jim," Leonard instructed, sticking a small tube into Jim's mouth that was connected to a fluid dispenser that was on the wall for emergencies, "Drink some water, your mouth is probably dry from puking."

"Why the stasis field?" Captain Pike asked, watching as Cadet Kirk managed to only drink a few sips of water before spitting the tube out. "Doctor McCoy, I asked you a question."

Ignoring Captain Pike's question, Leonard reactivated the sonic therapy pad that was under Jim and quickly programmed a light sedation gas into the mask that was on the wall. The mask would only emit the sedation gas until Jim was asleep and then it would switch back to regular oxygen.

"No drugs, Bones," Jim moaned, knowing that he was probably going to be given disgusting medication that would force him to sleep. "I'm not tired...you promised me food, remember?"

Leonard sighed and took the mask off the wall, "Sorry, Jim, I don't think it would be wise to give you any food right now," he said, placing the mask over Jim's face. "I'll give you some nutritional supplements intravenously and increase your fluid intake. For now, though, just sleep."

As the mask was placed on his face, Jim's vision began to blur and his world faded to black.

* * *

_"Welcome to the NX-01, Lieutenant," Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker said, extending his hand as a tall woman with blonde hair stepped off the transporter pad dressed in a standard uniform._

_The woman smiled, "I am known as Arianne, sir," she said, shaking the Commander's hand. "I must say, I was rather surprised to be assigned to Enterprise for the mission to the Expanse."_

Confused by the unrecognizable faces, Arianne opened her eyes for a moment and, figuring that the weird scenario was the result of a lack of food. Grunting, she sat up and looked around.

She could hear Monty's soft Scottish hums outside the door. Her father was probably still proctoring Jim's exam or off attending to other Academy business. No doubt he was very busy.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, coming to a stop in front of the replicator. Normally, she would have cooked something, but she didn't have the energy.

"Computer, can you make some pleomeek soup?" Arianne asked, as despite her hunger, she didn't think she could handle any solid food for fear of throwing it up.

Within seconds, a small bowl of pleomeek soup with a spoon in it materialized in the replicator.

Smiling, as it reminded her of the time she spent visiting Vulcan, Arianne picked the bowl up in her hands and moved over towards the table. She would probably feel better after eating something.

_"..."This one has been in stasis since we found the decimated vessel," a voice said, as he hovered over a stasis pod. "Her vitals are all over the place and she sustained serious injury enough that she will die soon."_

_Arianne opened her eyes and immediately, finding herself in a stasis pod, she shakily reached up and knocked on the glass with a broken hand, fully feeling the pain with every breath she took._

_Finding herself unable to speak because of a tube down her throat, Arianne tried to talk with her eyes._

_Shocked at seeing the woman awake, an El Aurian doctor opened the pod and stared down at her, "It is good that you are conscious, but you are severely injured." he explained. "You were the lone survivor from the Mandarin and you were put in stasis to save your life. However, stasis is only prolonging it."_

Suddenly feeling nauseous about the strange memory flash, Arianne felt the bowl slip from her hands. As it hit the floor, shattering into a million pieces, she placed a hand on her head.

Ever since being released from the experiment chamber, Arianne had experienced flashes of memories that were somehow implanted into her mind, yet couldn't possibly be meant for her.

Feeling weak, Arianne sank to the floor, unaware that her hands were brushing across the bowl fragments that were all over the place, mixed with the soup. Her father hated messes.

_"...Hold still, Ensign Archer," the voice of a Vulcan female drifted into her ear as she lay strapped to a metal examination table with probe needles in her brain. "In order for the experimentation to successfully serve their purpose, you must remain calm and awake for the entire procedure..."_

_Knowing that she had to hold up her end of the deal now that Jim was free, Arianne nodded and immediately winced as she felt more needles being inserted into different parts of her body._

_While this strange Vulcan female probed her mind, no doubt her body would be exposed to numerous tests that would forever change her. Yet, she had to endure this...if only for Jim._

Still reeling from the horror of what Jim had been forced to endure while she negotiated for his freedom and safety, Arianne began to sob and quickly passed out in her own flood of tears.

* * *

The sun shone down on Leonard as he tried to keep in-step with Captain Pike as they walked down the path away from Starfleet Medical. He hadn't wanted to be away from Jim in case the sedative wore off quickly, yet he needed to talk to Captain Pike about Jim's returning memories.

As Starfleet Medical was currently quiet, Dr. Puri had taken to sitting in Jim's room to not only make sure that no visitors came by, but to also be there in case the sedative wore off too quickly, as if he woke up with nobody there, it was widely known that Jim would panic.

"Captain, can you please slow down for a minute?" Leonard asked, feeling winded from speedwalking since they left the Medical building. "I'm running out of steam."

Captain Pike nodded and stopped, "You need to get into an extra physical fitness class next semester, Doctor McCoy," he stated, watching Leonard catch up to him. "You won't be valuable as a medic anywhere in the known galaxy if you can't run to injured crewmen in the field."

"Well, I'll consider it, sir," Leonard replied, not wanting to say that he'd rather roast in the deepest pits of purgatory before going out in space. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you what happened during your visit with Jim that caused him to remember that stuff? I've NEVER seen him like that before."

Chris was silent for a moment, "I'm not going to tell you about Jim's past, as that information is highly classified," he replied sternly. "However, I'm sure he'll tell you about it in time...As for more recent events, I only know what was disclosed to Command by Cadet Pike...nothing else."

Suddenly, there was a small beeping sound, "Hang on a sec," Chris said, pulling his communicator off his belt and opened it. "This is Captain Pike, identify yourself."

"...This is Cadet Montgomery Scott," an anxious Scottish tone sounded out over the communicator. "There's a leetle situation at yer home that ye hafta deal with, sir."

Chris frowned, as the only person that was home was Arianne, "...Aye dunno what happened, sir," Cadet Scott's voice continued. "...I heard something break and some sobbing...Aye didn'a mean to enter yer home wit'out permission, but yer lassie is laying in the middle of some soup and her own blood...she musta cut herself on tae glass from tae bowl somehow...she's really warm..."

"A panic attack," Chris hissed, knowing that he had been to wrapped up in Cadet Kirk's medical instability to even think about what his own child must be going through. "Doctor McCoy-"

Immediately forgetting about Jim, Leonard nodded, "You don't have to ask me, I'm coming with you," he replied firmly. "Jim will be fine in the care of Doctor Puri for a little while...If there's an emergency, Dr. Puri can juggle patients...if needs be, that weird Denobulan doctor of Admiral Archer's can surely be put to better use than doing paperwork..."

"Let's just get over to my home," Chris ordered, not wanting to hear any of the doctor's ignorant xenophobia that came as a result of not being exposed to aliens before the Academy. "I keep some medical supplies in my closet that should help you be able to treat whatever's wrong with her."

Leonard nodded and followed the determined Captain at a quicker pace than ever before.

* * *

She felt a combination of both heat and cold, as well as something soft underneath her.

Opening her eyes, Arianne was relieved to see that she was in the safety of the bedroom that she had claimed since moving back into her father's home. However, she wasn't in the room by herself.

Gritting her teeth, Arianne reached behind her pillow and pulled out the phaser that she had kept there since being released from Starfleet Medical. She had to be ready to defend herself.

There was a clearing of a throat and then a humming sound, "Don't move another step," Arianne hissed, pulling herself in an upright position and pointing her phaser at the figure in the shadows.

"Um, Cadet Pike?" a male voice asked as the humming suddenly stopped. "How are you feeling?"

Arianne frowned, "Who ARE you and what are you doing in my bedroom?" she asked in a snappish tone, ensuring that the phaser. "I have a phaser set to stun if you don't tell me..."

The lights suddenly flashed on, temporarily blinding Arianne. As her eyes adjusted to the lights, she could see a clean shaven man with dark hair and a blue medical uniform approaching the bed.

"I promise I'm not going to hurt you," the man said, coming to a stop just short of the bed. "Your father's downstairs trying to calm Cadet Scott down...poor kid's hysterical about the fact that you had some sort of panic attack and were passed out on the floor when he found you."

Even though he wasn't convinced that he wouldn't be shot, Leonard reached out and placed his hand over the top of the phaser. He and Arianne looked at each other with silent uncertainty.

"Who exactly ARE you?" Arianne asked, allowing the phaser to drop from her hands on to the bed.

Leonard gave her a look and then took hold of her arm, "At least you didn't pull the dripline out," he said, gently placing her arm back on the blanket. "It's not every day that a girl almost shoots me."

In silence, Leonard extracted a medical tricorder from his pocket and scanned her with it, "Hmm, the readings seem normal, but how do you feel?" he asked, as he didn't trust tricorder readings.

"Well, before I passed out, I was going to eat some pleomeek soup," Arianne replied, suddenly remembering that it was all over her father's kitchen floor. "It helps with a high stress level."

Leonard gave her a strange look, "You don't have pointy ears, so how can you like Vulcan food?" he asked, wondering if this woman was just talking out of her head.

"I spent some time on Vulcan on a cultural study some years back," Arianne explained calmly, resisting the urge to sock the man in the face for his obvious xenophobia. "Anyway, you still haven't told me who you are and why on earth you are standing in my private bedroom."

Sitting down on the bed, Leonard showed her the dermal regenerator, "I'm Doctor Leonard McCoy," he replied in a gentle voice that hopefully would help her trust him. "This is a dermal regenerator...Your hands got a little cut up."

Hearing that this man was Leonard McCoy, the man she had last seen as a hobo-like, recovering alcoholic and attempted suicide patient, Arianne was stunned. His transformation was incredible.

Arianne nodded, "I figured that my hands got a little cut up in the glass," she replied. "I didn't get cut anywhere else besides my hands, right? Not anywhere on my face or neck?"

Wondering why this woman was suddenly so worried about her face, Leonard shook his head and picked up one of her hands, "Just small cuts on your hands...Did you hurt your face at all?"

Pulling her hands away, Arianne quickly covered her face with them and looked at the blanket, "If I tell you, do you promise not to tell my father or Jim?" she asked, ashamed of what happened.

Leonard silently nodded, "After Jim was beamed away, I was strapped to this metal examination table and needle-like probes were inserted into various places throughout my body," she explained in a montone voice. "This strange Vulcan female placed her hands on my face and probed my mind...During the probing, she told me that she had done the same thing to Jim while he was unconscious...I had seen her touching him, but it was too dark to see what she was doing..."

"Wait, are you telling me that this Vulcan female probed both your and Jim's minds without consent from either of you?" Leonard asked, the concern evident in his voice.

Arianne gave a solemn sigh, "I didn't want her doing it, I only wanted to protect Jim," she replied, her soft voice trembling. "He's going to hate me because I was right there...I saw it happen."

The door suddenly opened and at the same time, Arianne let out a sob, "Doctor McCoy, why is my daughter suddenly crying her eyes out?" the voice of Captain Pike asked in a stern tone.

"D-Dad, I need to t-talk to you," Arianne sobbed. "About what really happened..."

The stern look on Chris's face suddenly softened to one of concern, "Doctor McCoy, can you go and walk Cadet Scott back to his dorm please?" he asked in a soft tone.

"Yeah, I can come back later," Leonard said, rising and moving towards the door. "Just contact me when it's a good time to come back..."

Chris nodded and, sitting on the bed, he pulled his sobbing daughter into his arms and held her.

Suddenly realizing that he would have to be the one to deal with any after-effects that Jim might suffer, Leonard bit his lip and left the room in silence, all the while hearing Cadet Pike's sobs.

* * *

"...Doctor Puri, here are those test results you asked for," Jim could hear a woman's voice say as awareness came back to him. "...You were right about the strange marks all over Cadet Kirk's body...some sort of probe needles were inserted into him...it affected his neural activity for brief periods of time...it triggered some sort of localized seizures which explains the amnesia..."

_What is Doctor Puri doing in my room with a nurse? Where's Bones? Why isn't he here?_

Letting out a small groan that was muffled by a familiar mask over his face, Jim opened his eyes and immediately realized that while the sonic therapy pad was vibrating underneath him, he couldn't move his legs. He could see Dr. Puri standing by the door, talking with what looked like a nurse.

"I want to take Cadet Kirk for complete neural and body scans," Jim heard Dr. Puri say, noting the tone of extreme concern in his voice. "When Doctor McCoy gets back, I want him to see those results...something isn't right here...From these results, it seems like Cadet Kirk underwent some sort of barbaric physical and mental torture by whoever took him and Ensign Pike."

_Mental torture? _Alarms sounded as Jim felt himself suddenly beginning to panic uncontrollably.

"...Cadet Kirk, calm down!" Jim heard Dr. Puri shout. "Nurse...get me a sedative!"

There was a loud electric crackle and, suddenly feeling his legs free, Jim shot upright and, throwing himself off the bed, he staggered over to the door, unaware that he had pulled his driplines out and blood was running down his arm.

Since the nurse had run off to get a sedative, Jim managed to make his way out of the room and in a blind panic, he moved unsteadily down the hallway, unaware that Dr. Puri was chasing after him.

Out the door and down the stairs he ran, oblivious to the stares he was getting from cadets who were on their way to classes. He suddenly saw Bones not too far off in the distance.

"Bones, help...mental torture," Jim gasped, shuddering as Leonard ran over and grabbed hold of him. "Puri says there were probe needles in me...my mind was tortured...caused a seizure."

Shooting a glare at the approaching Dr. Puri, Leonard gently walked Jim to the grass and pulled his friend into a resting position, "Shh, Jim, it's okay," he said, seeing Dr. Puri approaching with a readied hypospray. "What happened, Puri, I thought Jim's legs were in stasis?"

"Somehow, Cadet Kirk broke the stasis field and bolted," Dr. Puri explained, kneeling down and pressing the hypospray against the shaken cadet's neck. "I was about to take him for complete body and neural scans when he woke up in a panic..."

Leonard grabbed the hypospray away from Jim's neck, "Well, congratulations, you probably just lost the trust of a patient," he snapped. "Get away from him, I'll handle Jim myself...He's bleeding, must of pulled his IV's out when he ran..."

"When you bring him back, I'm admitting him to Starfleet Psych for at least a 72 hour hold," Dr. Puri snapped. "I know Cadet Kirk was tortured, but he could become a danger to himself or others..."

Jim let out a moan, "Back to the dorm, Bones," he whimpered. "No more hospital."

"All right, no more hospital," Leonard replied, helping Jim to his feet as he rose. "I'll take you back to the dorm...Nurse, make yourself useful and get one of those golf-cart things over here."

Taken aback by Dr. McCoy's sharpness, the nurse nodded and bolted across the lawn.

Dr. Puri looked appalled, "Cadet Kirk still needs treatment, McCoy, you just can't-"

"I can do the rest of my semester on the computer and keep an eye on Jim in the dorm," Leonard snapped, not willing to argue. "Whatever supplies are needed can be brought to the dorm...I'll even make sure Jim does whatever homework and studying he's supposed to...I'll make sure he eats, drinks enough good fluid to stay hydrated...I'll be his 24/7 babysitter for crying out loud."

"Captain Pike's going to hear of this insubordinate behavior, Cadet," Dr. Puri hissed, imminent anger in his voice. "The dorms aren't the place for critical hospital patients to recover."

Leonard scoffed and turned his attention to Jim, "Do you want to go back to Starfleet Medical, Jim?" he asked, deciding to leave the decision up to him because he was coherent enough.

"...want to sleep at the dorm," Jim replied in a tired voice, inching as far away as he could from Dr. Puri as he could get without falling. "Bones, don't make me go back...so tired."

Just then, the nurse came back driving a golf-cart like transport that was normally used for diplomatic tours. She put the brake on, but kept the engine running.

"I'm going back to Starfleet Medical right now and messaging both Captain Pike and Admiral Archer about your continued insubordination, McCoy," Puri snapped.

Leonard helped Jim walk over to the transport and, sitting him down, he secured him to the seat, "At this point, Doctor Puri, I don't really care," he snapped, taking a seat next to Jim. "I may be a cadet, but I am a doctor first and foremost...My priorities are straight, are yours?"

Widening his eyes, Dr. Puri watched as the transport took off in the direction of the dorms.

Nobody of an inferior rank had ever talked to him like that before. He didn't know how to react.

Having already heard of the shouting match between Dr. McCoy and Admiral Archer, Dr. Puri knew that McCoy cared about people. Yet, as a future Starfleet officer, he needed to harness his temper.

McCoy's dedication was something that Starfleet had lost, Captain Pike needed to know about him.

Although he was sure Captain Pike was busy helping his daughter, Puri knew he just had to send a message to him. Starfleet could use quality physicians to help their many crews survive.

* * *

As the sun began to set, Arianne finally felt well enough to leave the safety of her bedroom and come downstairs. She could hear movement in the kitchen, probably her father.

She had told her father everything about what had happened and he promised to do whatever it took to bring those responsible to justice. This incident would not be ignored and never again repeated.

After their talk, he had convinced her to sleep, as rest might help her to feel less sorrow.

Walking into the living room, she saw her homework PADD's on the table in a neat stack and that got her thinking about whether or not Jim read her letter and his reaction to it.

Arianne sighed and sank down on to the couch. She felt a lot of guilt over Jim's severe injuries.

Even though she had been immobile because of being bound by those clamps, Arianne knew that she could have done something to stop the Vulcan female from forcing Jim into a mind-meld.

From what Ambassador Sarek had taught her about mind-melds, Arianne knew that the Vulcan female who had melded with Jim had deliberately done it in such a way to cause him harm.

If only she felt strong enough to leave the house, she could warn Jim about the aftereffects of an improperly performed mind meld. It would be worse on him because he was already injured.

However, Arianne knew that she could warn her father to keep an eye on Jim in the coming months.

Rising from the couch, Arianne made her way into the kitchen, where she saw her father standing at the stove, stirring something in a large pot while keeping an eye on another pot.

"I didn't know you liked to cook," Arianne commented, slowly entering the kitchen.

Placing the burner on a lower setting, Chris turned around just in time to see Arianne take a seat at the kitchen table, "I prefer home cooking to that replicated stuff when I'm not busy," he replied, taking note of the tiredness in Arianne's eyes. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I still carry a lot of guilt over what happened to Jim," Arianne confessed, trying not to cry. "I was bound by the wrists just like he was, but I feel like I should have been able to do something more."

Chris sighed, yet remained silent, "When I was being forced to watch that female Vulcan meld with Jim, something about her seemed familiar," she stated. "I'm sure that I had never seen her before that night, but it just seemed like it wasn't the first time we had met...It was really strange."

"Do you remember what this female Vulcan looked like?" Chris asked, deeply horrified that his only child had been forced to watch her best friend undergo mental torture. "Could you do a sketch?"

Arianne nodded, "I could do a sketch, Dad, but I'd be afraid of what the revelation of the meld enforcer would do to relations between the Federation and Vulcan...It could damage it."

"I didn't want to tell you this until later, but the Vulcan High Command sent me a message this morning that they want to speak with both you and Cadet Kirk about this incident," Chris stated, his tone full of regret. "Originally, they wanted both of you to travel to Vulcan for a formal inquiry, but I managed to convince them to send one of their Ambassadors to Earth instead...to reduce stress."

Before Arianne could reply, the communications terminal in the living room beeped, "Who would be comming me at this hour, while I'm in my private residence?" Chris asked, rising from his chair and walking out of the kitchen. "Can you watch the stove while I'm attending to this?"

Arianne rose from the table and moved over to the stove, only to see that her father had been boiling whole wheat pasta and making a pot of his secret spaghetti sauce for dinner. His favorite meal.

Suddenly, she could hear garbled shouting coming from the living room that sounded like a very angry Dr. Puri. There was silence and then she could hear her father's tone of reasoning.

"...I'm TELLING you, Chris, that McCoy is a MENACE to medical society!" Arianne heard Dr. Puri shouting in a semi-hysterical voice. "...I can't patch through to his and Kirk's dorm...They're just a couple of cadets who don't know what life is...How dare McCoy do that...ARGH!"

As Arianne turned off the stove and put the pot of cooked pasta into the strainer, she could again hear her father's voice, "Both McCoy and Kirk are doing just fine, I assure you...I sent Jon over there for a visit about two hours ago...Didn't you wonder why he was at Starfleet Medical earlier?"

Arianne suddenly frowned as she turned the other burner off. Jim was supposed to be in the hospital, not holed up in his dormitory with Dr. McCoy. What had happened?

Chris suddenly came back into the kitchen, "Sorry about that, Arianne," he apologized, relieved to see that the food was ready to eat. "Doctor Puri's been in a bad mood all day..."

"Dad, why is Jim back in his dorm under Doctor McCoy's supervision and not still in the hospital?" Arianne asked, giving her father a don't-lie-to-me look.

Realizing that Arianne must have heard Dr. Puri's shouting, Chris sighed, "After Doctor Puri let it slip about the mental torture, Cadet Kirk broke through the stasis field on his legs and bolted from the hospital in a massive panic," he explained. "Doctor McCoy finally caught him and took him back to their dorm for rest...Apparently, he and Doctor Puri had a shouting match on the grounds."

"Is Jim all right?" Arianne asked, moving away from the stove and taking a seat at the table.

Chris nodded, "Cadet Kirk is fine and sound asleep in his bed," he replied, moving over to the counter to grab some plates. "I believe Admiral Archer is at the dorm and convinced Cadet Kirk to allow himself to be sedated while Cadet McCoy is subjected to a lecture about decorum."

"Um, Dad?" Arianne said, looking nervous as she watched her father dish out food for both of them. "When I first woke up and saw Doctor McCoy in my room, I kinda freaked out and almost shot him...He put his hands over the phaser and managed to talk me out of it."

Chris silently carried the two plates over to the table and set them down, "Do you want me to arrange for a private video conference so that you can talk to Lady Amanda?" he asked, taking a seat at the table. "You obviously need to talk to someone about this and if you don't feel comfortable talking with me any more about it, I can let you talk to someone else you trust."

"As the wife of Ambassador Sarek, Lady Amanda is probably very busy," Arianne replied, even though she would love to talk with the woman she considered a mother figure. "I wouldn't want her to be distracted unnecessarily from her duties with the Ambassador."

Arianne went silent and picking up her fork, she began to pick at her food, "Jim must hate me," she said in a monotone voice. "I couldn't stop them from beating the living crap out of him."

There was a moment of silence and, dropping the fork, Arianne lowered her head, "It's going to take a long time for me to be okay again, isn't it?" she asked, her voice a whisper as she gazed back up at her father and saw the intense concern in his eyes. "As a counselor, it's so easy for me to give help to whoever needs it, but when it comes to asking for help...I find it very difficult."

Chris nodded and remained silent, "I hope Doctor Puri won't mind that I'm not going to be feeling up to taking on any clients next term," Arianne said, knowing that she had to sort herself out before she counseled anyone else. "I think I'm going to focus on my studies more intensely."

"I'm not surprised to hear you say that," Chris replied. "I'll let Doctor Puri know if you like."

Arianne nodded, "Thank you," she whispered, suddenly reaching up and massaging her head with her hand. "Sorry, small stress headache...it's nothing to freak out over."

"Maybe your headache would go away if you ate something," Chris stated, compassion in his voice. "That pasta isn't going to do you any good if you just poke at it with your fork."

Letting out a sigh, Arianne picked up the fork and began to eat, feeling less tired with each bite she took. Nodding, Chris smiled and, grabbing his fork, he twisted some pasta around it.

"As far as Cadet Kirk goes, give it time," Chris explained. "Neither of you are in the best shape right now, but when you are, I'm sure you'll find that he doesn't blame you for anything."

Ignoring the pang of guilt in her heart, Arianne remained silent as she continued to eat.

Someday, maybe, she and Jim would be able to talk and hopefully, they could still be friends.

* * *

Meanwhile, deep within the basement laboratories of ShiKahr, which were extended learning centers that used cirricculum from the Vulcan Science Academy, a dark-haired half-Vulcan student stood alone at a console used for analyzing data. Although he was dressed in the customary uniform that all other students wore, his eyes held an expression of coldness.

Vials of blood and other DNA material sat on a long counter beside the console, next to an empty tray that was used to compile data on the samples. The results were imperative.

Despite being forced to flee from the damaged mining vessel in an escape pod and live in disguise on the very planet that was home to the same species as his leader's enemy, the young student knew that he had to maintain his position. For the future depended on his success.

The rest of the crew and his captain, all of whom had been captured by Klingons shortly after his escape, were counting on him to analyze what Soval had brought back from Earth.

As the minutes passed, he could feel the continued suffering of his captain and the rest of the crew as they rotted in prison under the continual control of bloodthirsty Klingons.

Smiling grimly, the student quickly put the vials into the appropriate slots and inserted the entire tray into the computer system. The computer beeped and flashed blue "Samples Being Analyzed."

"Young Serij, are you still at work on your projects?" a deep, authoritative voice sounded as a middle-aged female Vulcan, who was dressed in a long, official-looking robe, entered the room.

The student didn't turn, as there was un-Vulcan like emotion in his face, "I apologize for the late hour at which I'm working, Doctor T'Pan," he stated in a toneless voice. "My projects are the only thing in which my fractured soul can find respite from my continual inner battles."

Feeling a headache coming on, 'Serij' placed one of his weathered hands on the side of his head and grew frustrated as the screen stated that the analysis would take 24 to 48 hours to complete.

"Are you well?" Dr. T'Pan asked in a tone that was severely close to expressing concern.

Quickly putting the computer into a power-saving mode while the samples were being thoroughly analyzed, the young student slowly turned to face the woman he considered his mentor.

"Forgive me, I believe I am coming down with what Humans would call a cold," Serij explained, feigning unsteadiness as he faltered in walking away from the lab station. "I am rather regretful that I will be unable to process these results as quickly as previously expected...In embracing my Vulcan half these past several years, I had forgotten that my Human half was not invincible."

Moving closer to the young student, Dr. T'Pan took hold of Serij's arm, "Come, I will assist you," she stated as they left the lab and walked down the lonely hallway of the Academy basement.

There was silence as the two exited the basement and walked out into the vast city of ShiKahr, which, because of the late hour, was still. The monumental buildings glistened in the moonlight.

Thoughts of the meld that Soval had forced upon him upon returning from Earth and presenting him with the samples threatened to surface, causing the young student to emit a groan.

"You must excuse my outburst, Doctor," Serij stated in a feigned exhaustion as he moved over to a stone bench near the grand stairwell and sat. "This cold seems to be clouding my senses."

Dr. T'Pan moved over to a communication panel that had been erected in one of the tall columns of the structure and inputted some basic commands. Within seconds, the face of Ambassador Sarek appeared on the screen. Movements could be heard in the background.

"Ambassador Sarek, I apologize for disturbing you at this late hour," Dr. T'Pan stated. "I came across young Serij in one of the Science laboratories and he seems to have contacted what Humans would call a cold...I have determined that the cause is prolonged intense work."

Sarek gave a tenative sigh, "Indeed, ever since young Serij was deemed healthy enough to make a living for himself on Vulcan, I have observed that he is prone to doing that." he replied. "I shall send one of my aides to collect him and return him to his room within my household. From what I know of Human colds, they require specific nutritional supplements and prolonged periods of sleep to properly dissapate...I will have Amanda prepare for Serij's return to our home and I will also summon a Vulcan physician to attend to him upon arrival...I have just dispatched one of my aides to the laboratory, they should arrive in a matter of minutes...Live long and prosper."

The comm-link ended and Dr. T'Pan glanced back at Serij, "Ambassador Sarek has sent an aide to come retrieve you," she stated. "For now, preserve what strength you have and remain seated."

Knowing that T'Pol and Soval would both produce negative responses at the delay in receiving the information from the samples, Serij closed his eyes and allowed himself a shudder of fright.

Any emanation of fear, fortunately, could be interpreted as the progression of the Human cold.

* * *

_T'Pol,_

_I regret to inform you that I will be delayed in analyzing the results from the samples Soval brought back from Earth. The reason for this is I have been unavoidably detained to my quarters within the dwelling of Ambassador Sarek and Lady Amanda. Earlier this evening, I became anxiety-ridden while at the laboratory and Dr. T'Pan interpreted it as a slip in my physical health. As a result, I was returned to the Ambassador's home and after putting me through a physical examination, a Vulcan physician has officially diagnosed me with a condition known by Humans as influenza.._

_The samples collected from James Kirk and Arianne Pike are being thoroughly analyzed by the computer and the computer is in hibernation mode to prevent unauthorized viewing of whatever information is revealed. My hope is that the results from both cadets will help determine what course of action can be taken next concerning our prime subjects and their futures.  
_

_I am only able to transmit this message via datapadd from my sickbed because Lady Amanda is away from the room, preparing to journey to Earth for a visit with her son, Spock, for what the Humans refer to as the upcoming winter holidays. She has been tending to my every need and I have managed to convince her that I will be fine unattended for a few moments...I am certain that Lady Amanda will oversee the remainder of my recovery, however, as the trip in question is not until the middle of next month...From what I have gathered through listening, I have determined that the trip is actually Ambassador Sarek's, as he must travel to Earth to question James Kirk and Arianne Pike concerning the attack...Lady Amanda wishes to visit Spock and therefore, has insisted on accompanying her husband...Hopefully, by that time, I will be well and back to work in the laboratory.  
_

_While I understand that Captain Nero, Commander Ayel, and the rest of the crew are no doubt suffering in the hands of the Klingons, I lack the strength to do more than rest and speak at the current time and I fear that I will be in this incapacitated state for the next several days. _

_I will continue to maintain my half-Vulcan disguise and the story that I am the sole survivor of a crash-landing in the Vulcan desert, for it has served me well thus far._

_During your self-imposed exile on Earth, I recommend that you continue to observe both James Kirk and Arianne Pike at a distance. Be advised that both subjects may be under close supervision by people they consider 'friends' and 'family', so observation may be difficult. Use EXTREME caution.  
_

_More than likely, both subjects will require further intimate analysis of both body and mind..._

_Do not contact me under ANY circumstances, as it would appear suspect. _

_When I am declared over this influzenza and allowed back to the lab, I will finish my work. _

_Only after I have analyzed the results of the samples will I contact you with further instructions._

_Serij (known to the Romulan Empire as Jeris)._

Seething with rage over the delays brought forth by the double-agent, T'Pol stuffed the PADD into the pocket of her cloak and turned her attention to a crib in front of her. The dwelling she had chosen to live out the duration of her visit to Earth was small, but met current needs.

There was a small half-Vulcan child with sandy hair in the crib, sound asleep and covered by a large, ragged blanket. T'Pol sighed and stroked the infant's hair, not wanting to wake it.

The victim of a terrible accident, Lorian had undergone a de-aging procedure on Vulcan three years ago in absolute secrecy. Now, he was an infant of three, with past memories erased.

From observation alone, T'Pol knew that the subjects might have undergone the same procedure due to their unusual physical prowess and exemplary intelligence levels. Such things were not normal in humans.

However, without further tests, nothing but the hypothesis was considered certain.

More tests would have to be run on both James Kirk and Arianne Pike at a future point in time.


	12. December 2255: Hurting and Healing

_**December 2255**_

Trying to calm herself, Arianne smoothed the wrinkles out of her cadet uniform and ensured that the Ensign's pip was secure on her collar and her hair was done up tightly and out of her face, as per Academy dress and appearance standards. She had been waiting in the foyer of Starfleet Command for nearly an hour while her father was in a meeting behind closed doors.

Now that she was physically able to leave the house, her father had established a date, time, and the location of Starfleet Command for an interview between her and a representative from Vulcan to discuss the attack. Since Vulcans had been involved, the High Command wanted information.

Although Arianne had no idea who Vulcan had sent to speak with her, she knew that her father would not have agreed to this sort of meeting unless it was going to be completely harmless.

Despite having suffered what could be classified as a mind rape by Vulcans during her and Jim's capture, Arianne felt no fear about the approaching meeting. She had to be brave about it.

As she moved to sit on one of the plastic chairs, the door to the meeting room suddenly slid open and her father, who was dressed in his full Commander of Cadets uniform, walked out.

Even though Captain Pike was her father, Arianne assumed the proper stance out of respect.

"Ah, Ensign Pike, I welcome you to Starfleet Command," Chris said, noting the nervousness in Arianne's face as she stood completely still at attention with a hand in a salute. "At ease, Ensign."

Lowering her hand, Arianne placed her hands behind her back and stood relaxed, "Reporting as ordered for debriefing by the Vulcan High Command, sir," she replied, forcing herself to look her father directly in the eye. "I will divulge all that I am able to remember, I give you my word, sir."

"Are you absolutely sure that you're up for this, Ensign?" Chris asked, wondering if he had been too hasty in arranging this meeting two days before Christmas. "It CAN be postponed if needed."

Arianne shook her head, "I would prefer it be right now, sir," she replied, sincerity in her tone.

Chris frowned, but nodded, "All right, Ensign, if you'll follow me into the briefing room," he stated, gesturing into the meeting room with a sweep of his arm.

Straightening up, Arianne followed her father into the briefing room and fought hard to suppress a smile when she saw Ambassador Sarek standing at the command table with his wife, Lady Amanda standing beside him. Chris moved to stand on the other side of Amanda.

"I don't believe you need to be introduced to Ambassador Sarek and his wife, Lady Amanda Grayson," Chris said, watching as Arianne moved over to the table and remained standing.

Arianne raised her hand in the customary Vulcan salute, "I, Ensign Arianne Christine Pike of Starfleet Academy, come to serve with my words for the purpose of aiding in the continued investigation," she stated in a respectful tone as she looked straight at Sarek.

Sarek raised his hand in the customary salute, "Your service honors us, Ensign Pike of Starfleet Academy," he replied, lowering his hand. "How is your recovery progressing?"

"My recovery is progressing at a satisfactory rate, Ambassador," Arianne replied in a very respectful tone. "My hope is that my information will be able to assist the High Command."

Sarek raised an eyebrow, "Indeed," he commented. "Please, Ensign, have a seat."

Giving a slight nod, Arianne sat in the large chair that had been set up for her.

"Well, Ambassador, now that greetings have been exchanged, I believe that Lady Amanda and I will be off on our little dinner date," Chris said, offering his arm to Amanda. "Ensign, I thought that you would feel comfortable enough to speak more freely about what happened if you met one-on-one with the Ambassador...Are you all right with meeting with the Ambassador by yourself?"

Arianne nodded, "Yes sir," she replied, gazing at her father and then back at Ambassador Sarek.

"Excellent," Chris stated, smiling as Amanda took his arm and exchanged a finger touch with Sarek. "Shall we, Lady Amanda? I'll take you to this nice little eatery just over the bridge."

Amanda nodded and allowed Chris to lead her from the room.

As the door slid shut, Sarek fixed his gaze on Arianne, "It has been a long time, Arianne," he stated, intrigued that she still wore that Vulcan necklace around her neck. "I see you still wear the necklace bestowed to you when you last visited Vulcan. Do you still practice meditation?"

"I still practice meditation in the evenings," Arianne replied. "It relieves my stress."

Sarek nodded, his expression thoughtful, "Frequent meditation helps to strengthen mental defenses against that which you don't want invading your mind," he stated. "It also allows memories of a more concerning nature to not negatively overrule that which is human common sense."

Arianne nodded, "Yes, Sarek, that is true," she replied, knowing what Sarek would ask of her.

"In light of recent events, I wish to conduct a meld that I may understand and possibly be able to provide help in the healing process," Sarek explained. "Will you allow me to proceed?"

Arianne gave a brief nod and relaxed her mind, "I will allow you to proceed," she replied in a calm, respectful tone to indicate to Sarek that she trusted him. "My mind is open and relaxed."

Sarek replied by rising from his chair and moving around to where Arianne stood, "I request that you be seated should the meld trigger any physical reactions," he stated tonelessly.

Nodding, Arianne sat reverently on the chair that was on the visitor's side of the desk and waited.

"My mind to your mind," Sarek stated in a reverent tone as he placed his hands on Arianne's face in the appropriate manner required by a mind meld. "My thoughts to your thoughts..."

* * *

Meanwhile, across the Golden Gate Bridge, trouble was about to break out in the form of sickness.

From his seat in the _Nightfire_ lounge, Leonard sipped his mug of cocoa and was very careful to not get any of the melted marshmallows on his cadet uniform. It had just been washed after all.

Placing the half-empty mug back on the table, Leonard gazed over in the direction of the common area where Jim was slouched in a chair near the fireplace, wearing an identical cadet uniform.

Today, two days before Christmas, was the first time that Jim had left their dorm since running away from Starfleet Medical a month ago and he wasn't exactly happy about being in public.

Leonard observed that Jim seemed to be missing the emotion of anything related to happiness, as Jim wouldn't joke or smile, he would simply sleep, eat, or bury himself in Academy homework.

Instead of the dinner to celebrate Christmas, Leonard found himself watching his best friend and closest family sleep in a chair near the fire. Jim had refused all food and wasn't talking either.

Letting out a sigh, Leonard fingered the med-kit that he had brought with him in case of any emergencies cropping up while they were out on the town. He should probably use it to make sure that Jim wasn't coming down with anything serious, but Jim probably wouldn't let him.

Leonard silently studied Jim for a few minutes and as he rose up to walk over to him, he noticed Captain Pike, who was dressed in his Academy Command uniform, and a woman, who was dressed in a long dress with a silky hood over her dark hair, enter the restaurant area.

_What the heck is Captain Pike doing here with a Vulcan woman?_ Leonard wondered as he watched a waiter escort the Captain and the strange woman over to a table in the middle of the room.

Unfortunately for him, Jim chose that moment to get up from his chair and stagger in the direction of the bathrooms with a sick look on his face. Suddenly spotting Captain Pike and a woman at a table, he stopped and Leonard silently swore, seeing that Jim's expression was one of intense fear.

For a moment, Leonard watched as Jim silently watched Captain Pike and the woman talk while they sipped ice waters from fine glasses. Jim then turned away and continued to the bathroom.

Fighting the urge to swear, Leonard continued watching Captain Pike and the woman. He would watch for a few more minutes and then go use his doctor skills to help Jim.

* * *

Through the spaces in the toilet stall, Soval watched as Jim entered and promptly vomited into the nearest sink. Kirk was alone and sick, which made him vulnerable and not likely to fight back.

Jeris had struggled recovering from the influenza disease, but he had and quickly returned to his samples in the lab, only to find that the results were inconclusive; Kirk had traces of space radiation and a high sensitivity to chemicals, but Arianne Pike's results were even more confusing.

Such results had prompted Jeris to send Soval back to Earth, using the excuse that the lab samples had become unexpectedly contaminated and new samples were needed.

In actuality, Soval's mission was to kidnap both Cadet Kirk and Ensign Pike, render them unconscious and transport them to Vulcan for further study in the basement labs.

Quietly unlocking the stall, Soval opened the door and came up behind Kirk, who was now slumped over with his head over a urinal while he puked. Soval raised his hands and grabbed Kirk's face.

"My mind to your mind," Soval hissed, pulling Jim backwards whilst keeping a firm grip on the young human's face. "My thoughts to your thoughts...Cadet Kirk, you must submit..."

Recognizing one of the voices that were around the night of his and Arianne's abduction, Jim froze and was silent as Soval probed his mind so hard that he wanted to pass out on the floor.

_"...Restrain Cadet Kirk and continue with the meld," a strict, yet clearly feminine voice ordered as Jim felt himself being pinned to a cold floor. "He carries valuable information."_

_Cold hands lifted Jim to his feet and he quickly found himself being pinned against the wall with some very cold, chain-like restraints binding his wrists and ankles in place. Large Vulcan hands grabbed his face in such an invasive, unfeeling way that Jim had to keep himself conscious._

_"Now, James, you WILL submit to this," a rough voice ordered him. "You will submit to this..."_

_The rough hands released his face and were immediately replaced with more feminine hands that gently stroked his face before pressing inward, applying as much pressure as possible._

Something hard connected with his abdomen and as he felt himself sinking to the floor, Jim heard shouting, banging, and what he thought was phasers firing, followed by rapid footsteps.

The room felt so warm to Jim; it made him feel as if he was back on Tarsus with Arianne and the others, trying to steal enough food to survive while also trying to avoid being caught and punished.

"...Oh, man, he's burning up," Jim heard Leonard snap. "Where's that medi-shuttle?"

Fighting the urge to vomit, Jim opened his eyes and saw Leonard hovering over him and scanning him with a medical tricorder, "...Bones?" he asked. "...Where...am...I?"

"Just lie still, Jim," Leonard said as he quickly rummaged through his medical bag for something that could help his friend until help arrived. "I just want you to lie still and stay awake for me."

There was another bang and more footsteps, "The medi-shuttle's here," Jim heard a gruff voice state as he felt Leonard placing something cold on his warm forehead. "What happened here, McCoy?"

As he heard Leonard giving an equally gruff reply to whomever else was in the room, Jim felt his eyelids drooping rapidly; his entire body hurt and maybe sleep was the best thing for him now.

"...Admiral, get out of here and get those medics in here!" Jim heard Leonard shout in an angry tone as he felt cold hands slapping his face, "Jim, come on, stay with me...don't fall asleep."

A low moan escaped Jim's lips and he quickly succumbed to the darkness that beckoned.

* * *

"...Puri's unreachable, I don't know how to contact Doctor Phlox... I'll have to do the surgery myself...Prep anesthesia...Will y'all stop staring at me and get on carrying out my orders?"

Hearing footsteps and soft murmuring, Jim opened his eyes and saw himself staring at a white ceiling and he could feel something over his body, "Bones?" he croaked, surprised at how weak his voice sounded. "Bones?"

There was murmuring and Jim suddenly saw Leonard, now wearing a Starfleet Medical shirt and a surgical coat, hovering over him, "It's gonna be okay, Jim," Leonard stated in an unnaturally gentle tone. "You've got some internal bleeding and some other injures that I have to fix."

"I don't feel good," Jim moaned in a whispery voice. "Bones, what's going on?"

Leonard sighed and watched as a nurse brought him a hypospray full of a fast acting, heavy anesthetic that was going to knock Jim out for the next several hours, "I'm gonna give you a hypospray that's gonna make you really sleepy and not able to feel anything," he explained, gazing down into Jim's tired eyes. "After I save you, we'll deal with who attacked you and why, okay?"

Jim whimpered as Leonard injected the hypospray into his neck, "Don't be such an infant," Leonard stated, although it was in a gentle tone that he said it. "Don't worry about anything right now."

As Jim's eyes began to close, Leonard sighed and was relieved that he didn't have to immediately tell Jim that his Vulcan attacker had been arrested, escorted to Starfleet Security, and was now being held in a Brig while being interrogated by a furious Admiral Archer.

More would happen in light of this, but Leonard's only concern at the moment was once again saving the life of his best friend and the closest thing in the world he had to family.

However, Dr. Puri and Phlox had been around last time...this time, he was completely alone.

* * *

"I don't understand why you hold me in this cramped prison against my will," Soval stated tonelessly as he watched Admiral Archer pace back and forth on the other side of the forcefield within the block of holding cells at Starfleet Security. "I have done nothing that merits this."

Fighting the urge to deactivate the forcefield and beat the living pulp out of Soval, Admiral Archer glared at the aged Vulcan, "Assaulting a Starfleet cadet in the restroom of a civilian restaurant without a reason is certainly reason enough to hold you here," he snapped.

"Admiral Archer, I had reasons for my actions which I cannot divulge," Soval replied tonelessly.

Admiral Archer growled, "Well, you'll HAVE to divulge your reasons at the hearing that is going to involve Starfleet Command, Academy Command, and the Vulcan High Command," he snapped, his tone cold. "Any type of attack on a Starfleet cadet is inexcusable under ANY circumstances!"

"I must regret to inform you, Admiral Archer, that my reason for attacking Cadet Kirk cannot and will not be divulged at any time," Soval stated. "My orders come from a higher authority."

With that said, Soval retreated to the bunk and silently sat, engaging in a deep meditation.

Admiral Archer turned away and quickly walked out of the cell-block, ignoring the bewildered glances that the Security officers were giving him. He had to talk to Captain Pike immediately.

* * *

Captain Pike, meanwhile, was lingering in the surgical observation area, watching via sensors as Leonard McCoy and a few nurses who were not yet on their Christmas holidays, operate on the very unlucky Cadet Kirk; he had followed McCoy and Kirk to Starfleet Medical from the restaurant.

Lady Amanda had insisted upon him being there for the two needy cadets and she had respectfully taken a hovercab to Starfleet Command, intending to reconnect with her husband once he was done gathering information from Arianne about the last attack.

A loud alarm from the surgical bay caused Chris to press the intercom button, "Captain Pike to Doctor McCoy," Chris stated in an urgent tone. "What's with the sudden alarm?"

"Nothing urgent, Captain Pike," the annoyed voice of Leonard replied. "Just a little blood loss."

Chris was silent for a moment, "Acknowledged," he replied. "How is the surgery proceeding?"

"It would go a lot better if I could focus on Jim and not have to talk to you at the same time, Captain Pike," Leonard's stern tone replied. "I'll talk to you when Jim's in Recovery. _Doctor_ McCoy out."

As the intercom clicked off, Chris couldn't help but be intrigued by Cadet/Doctor McCoy's compassion for patients and his mission for the best possible outcome in every situation.

Granted, the younger McCoy's methods and attitude were a little unorthodox and very much unlike those of his father, but Chris knew that Leonard McCoy would be valuable serving in space.

"...Doctor McCoy to Captain Pike," the static-filled voice of Leonard suddenly filtered through the intercom. "...There's been a complication...I thought I got Jim's fever down, but it's spiked..."

"...Doctor, he's having a febrile seizure!" Chris heard a female voice shout. "He's AWAKE!"

"...refuse to submit," a high-pitched tone of Jim's voice moaned. "...no more melds..."

"McCoy, what is going on in there?" Chris shouted, concerned by Jim's strange moaning.

"...I don't understand this, Jim's fever is climbing and he's moaning something about some sort of meld," Leonard replied in a frustrated tone. "It's probably some fever-induced delirium..."

Chris thought for a moment and then, removing his hand from the intercom button, he reached into his pocket and extracted his communicator. He needed to contact Starfleet Command right away.

* * *

Fighting to keep from throwing up, Arianne slouched in her chair and slowly sipped the Vulcan spice tea that Sarek had replicared for her following the completion of the mind meld.

Although the meld had relieved some of the mental/emotional burden that unaddressed memories of the attack had created, Arianne had become physically drained as a result. Sarek had responded by accessing the room's replicator and replicating a strengthening remedy for her.

Now, there was silence as Sarek reflected on the thoughts gained from the meld and also watched Arianne to ensure that she properly recovered from the meld before dismissing her.

In all honesty, Arianne felt exhausted and ready to cry, despite drinking the tea. She had felt that way ever since the attack; she now had strange glimpses into memories that weren't hers.

Fortunately, these glimpses had happened when she was alone at home, either when she was studying or resting and they lasted no longer than a few minutes. Because these glimpses had not affected her schoolwork, Arianne saw no reason to tell anyone what she was experiencing.

From what Sarek observed, it was clear to him that Arianne was fatigued and probably wanted to do nothing more than go home and rest. However, he wanted to first ensure that she would be safe.

Suddenly, there was a beep, followed by intercom static, "Ambassador Sarek, this is Captain Pike," Captain Pike's voice spoke. "You are needed at Starfleet Medical immediately."

"I fail to understand why my presence would be required at Starfleet Medical," Sarek replied as he pressed the wall intercom button to reply. "I am not a physician of any nature."

There was a brief period of static and a door slid open, "...A human patient undergoing emergency surgery at Starfleet Medical has obviously suffered some negative effects from a Vulcan mind meld," Chris replied in a tone of grave concern. "It's affecting his physical health and that's dangerous at this time, him being under heavy anesthesia."

Sarek was silent for a moment as he thought of what could be wrong, "Pa'nar Syndrome," he said in a toneless voice. "A disease that can be contracted from an improperly trained melder."

"Sarek, is it even possible for a human to have contracted a Vulcan disease?" Amanda said, having overheard the brief conversation between Captain Pike and Sarek.

Sarek turned to face Amanda, "My wife, would you please escort Ensign Pike back to Captain Pike's residence and remain there until I come for you?" he tonelessly asked. "My presence is required at Starfleet Medical immediately and I am uncertain as to for how long."

"Of course, Sarek," Amanda replied, gazing at Arianne. "Arianne, are you well enough for travel?"

Arianne nodded and rose from the chair, "I am," she replied in a tired voice. "Just very tired."

"Ensure that Ensign Pike gets sufficient nutrition and rest," Sarek stated tonelessly as he moved towards the door. "I will contact you when circumstances allow."

As Sarek left the room, Arianne gazed at Amanda, "I know it's Jim," Arianne stated. "I wish I could do something to help, but I can't this time. I don't have the energy and I feel bad about that."

"Cadet Kirk will be all right," Amanda said in a soothing tone as she took Arianne's arm. "For now, you can do nothing but ensure your own health. Later, perhaps, you can be a help to Cadet Kirk."

Arianne nodded and silently allowed Amanda to lead her from the meeting room. She had to trust Lady Grayson's words; Jim would be all right and she should focus on keeping herself well.

* * *

"Imagine my shock when I got a message from one of my nurses saying that Cadet McCoy had taken it upon himself to perform pre-op tests and surgery on another cadet completely unsupervised!" Dr. Puri hissed, his tone nothing less than infuriated about the current situation. "That's completely against Starfleet regulations!"

Leaning against a wall of the corridor just outside the Surgery/Recovery rooms, Admiral Archer sighed and checked his watch, "It's almost four in the morning, Puri," he replied, trying to keep his tone calm despite being sleep deprived. "McCoy's a trained doctor and surgeon..."

"McCoy doesn't have a lot of training in Starfleet medicine and I'm really surprised that he he hasn't killed Cadet Kirk on the operating table!" Dr. Puri snapped, aggravated that he had been wrenched away from his Christmas holiday to deal with a careless cadet. "Why hasn't anyone from Academy Command been notified to deal with this situation? McCoy should be expelled from the Academy!"

Admiral Archer sighed, "Captain Pike was at the restaurant and actually accompanied McCoy and Kirk over here in the responding medi-shuttle," he replied, fighting the urge to yawn. "As far as I know, he's hanging around the observation theater to wait until the surgery's done."

"It's been HOURS," Dr. Puri snapped. "More than likely, he's trying to protect McCoy."

"Look, Puri, if you stay here and cool down, I will go see what Captain Pike is doing," Admiral Archer stated, trying to diffuse the situation. "Just stay here and simmer down."

Ignoring the look on Dr. Puri's face, Admiral Archer walked into the room and through the glass, he could see Captain Pike lingering outside of an area of the Recovery bay that had been curtained off.

RI'llelieved that Kirk most likely survived the surgery, Jonathan sighed and walked into the Recovery bay, "Chris, I'm taking it that Cadet Kirk survived the attack," he commented, disturbed by the distressed look on Captain Pike's face. "Bad news, though, Soval's not talking."

Before Chris could reply, the door slid open and Dr. Puri entered, followed by who Chris recognized to be Ambassador Sarek, "Captain Pike, I believe you requested my presence," Sarek said in a monotone voice. "Doctor Puri seems to believe that I am an unnecessary intruder."

"Doctor Puri, go back out in the hall," Admiral Archer stated. "Chris, what's going on here?"

As Puri stormed from the room, Chris looked at Sarek, "Admiral Archer, I have reason to believe that Cadet Kirk has been suffering from Pa'nar Syndrome ever since the night he was attacked," Sarek stated. "It is a Vulcan disease that can come from improperly trained mind melders."

"Is there a way to treat this disease?" Admiral Archer asked, infuriated about the fact that Soval intentionally inflicted a Vulcan disease on Cadet Kirk. "Will Cadet Kirk be all right?"

Sarek gave a brief nod, "I must initiate a mind meld, but Pa'nar Syndrome is curable," he replied.

"Jon, go and tells Doctor McCoy to go get some sleep and a nurse can keep an eye on Cadet Kirk for a while," Chris stated. "I trust that Ambassador Sarek can help Cadet Kirk."

Admiral Archer nodded and quickly moved into the curtained area. Chris heard some soft murmuring, angry protests, and then Admiral Archer came out, leading Leonard by the arm.

"I'm really uncomfortable leaving Jim alone with some Vulcan," Leonard protested in a tired voice as Admiral Archer led him out of the Recovery bay. "It was hard enough trying to keep him alive..."

Chris sighed, "Cadet McCoy, go pick a bed in the patient bay and get some sleep," he ordered in a no-nonsense tone. "You've been up all night, stayed sober, and did a heroic thing. Now rest."

With a tired sigh, Leonard nodded and wrenching his arm out of Admiral Archer's grip, he silently stalked into the patient bay. Through the glass, Chris watched the exhausted cadet lay himself down on to the nearest patient bed and promptly drop off to sleep still wearing his surgical attire.

Not wanting to watch Cadet McCoy sleep, Chris turned away and saw that Ambassador Sarek had quietly moved into the curtain area and that Admiral Archer was the only one remaining.

"No doubt Command will want Cadet McCoy to explain his actions," Admiral Archer stated, crossing his arms as he watched Chris pace the floor. "Puri's probably on the comm to Admiral Barnett right now, demanding that Cadet McCoy face an official board of inquiry."

Fighting the urge to laugh, Chris sighed, "Barnett went on holiday to Paris for Christmas and won't be back until New Year's Day, Jon," he replied. "However, you're probably right about Command probably wanting McCoy to face an official board of inquiry...probably in January."

Admiral Archer nodded, "The thing is, though, I think expelling Cadet McCoy from the Academy for this is a waste of his obvious potential," Chris said, an idea forming in his head. "Leonard reminds me so much of David, it's uncanny...I think a better purpose can be found for Leonard McCoy."

"Well, Chris, I'll help however I can," Admiral Archer promised. "You're right about this."

Chris sighed, "Go home to your dog, Jon, there's nothing more that can be done until after Christmas," he stated. "I'm going to stick around and talk to Cadet Kirk when he's awake."

"How's your daughter going to feel about being left alone while you wait for Cadet Kirk to come out of sedation?" Admiral Archer asked, concerned that Chris was becoming too involved with Cadet Kirk's situation. "Just contact Kirk's family and keep your personal distance from him."

Chris blanched, "Jon, honestly, Kirk hasn't got any family that cares about him," he replied in an aggravated tone. "Now, you can court-martial me or whatever, but I'm going to stay here."

Admiral Archer rolled his eyes, "I'm not going to court-martial you for caring about someone who obviously needs someone to care about him," he replied. "Just make sure you get some rest."

Chris nodded and raising an eyebrow at the stubborn Captain, Admiral Archer left the room.

Now alone, Chris sighed and sat down next to a computer console. It could be hours, maybe even days, before Cadet Kirk would be in any shape for a conversation, so there was work to be done.

* * *

By Christmas Eve morning, Jim still hadn't regained consciousness and although he tried not to show it, Leonard was extremely worried that his friend might never wake up.

After being calmed down by Admiral Archer, Dr. Puri had returned to Paris for the remainder of his Christmas holidays leaving Leonard with a stern warning that his actions would be addressed in the new year.

Phlox had been contacted, briefed about the situation, and was now the acting CMO at Starfleet Medical while Puri was on vacation. He thought that Leonard's actions were justified, but didn't voice that opinion, instead choosing to do his duty and keep a distant watch on Cadet/Doctor McCoy.

Now, well aware that he would most likely face a hearing and possible expulsion from Starfleet Academy, Leonard sat in a chair next to the bed where Jim lay unconscious, occasionally scanning him with his medical tricorder, checking the driplines in his arms, and keeping him well covered.

In light of the incident, cadets were no longer permitted off the Academy campus unless it was authorized by someone from Academy Command and even then, all approved departures had to be done in groups.

Soval had been sentenced to spend the remainder of the Christmas holidays in his holding cell at Starfleet Security and would be extradited back to Vulcan for trial in the new year.

Ambassador Sarek had remained with Jim for the rest of the night and far into the next day, according to Captain Pike, and apparently had cured Jim of his illness somehow. Although Leonard had asked, the Ambassador had refrained from saying how, but had wished Jim a good recovery.

Leonard sighed and placed the PADD on the bedside table; his first Christmas Eve since the divorce and he was spending it sitting at the bedside of an unconscious friend as his doctor.

Now again, at least he knew Jim cared about him back like a brother...didn't seem like a bad holiday after all.

For a moment, Leonard gazed at the floor, deep in thought about the past; he had a lot of regrets about the past and, yet, it was because of past problems that he had ended up in Starfleet.

A weak groan suddenly came from the bed, causing Leonard to look up to see that Jim was slowly waking up and trying to move his arms and legs, "Don't do that, you'll hurt yourself," Leonard snapped, annoyed that even though Jim wasn't coherent, he was already trying to escape.

"...Bones?" Jim's groggy voice asked as Jim slowly opened his eyes to blurry surroundings.

Fighting the urge to swear, Jim blinked and everything came into focus, "...So tired..." he groggily whispered, forcing his gaze in Leonard's direction. "I feel like I was run over by a semi."

"Do you remember what happened?" Leonard asked. "Do you know where you are now, Jim?"

Jim was silent for a moment, "...hospital," he whispered. "...can't remember why..."

Rising from his chair, Leonard moved over to the replicator and quickly replicated a glass of ice water with a straw in it. He picked it up and returned to his seat at Jim's bedside.

"If you drink this too fast and end up puking all over the bed, I'll kill you myself," Leonard firmly stated as he held the cup to Jim's mouth and inserted the straw into his mouth.

Giving Leonard a look, Jim obediently sipped the water at a slow pace until the cup was completely drained, "You just had your spleen removed and some busted ribs repaired," Leonard explained as he tossed the cup into the nearby trash bin. "You also had a high fever, which caused a seizure."

"No wonder I feel bad," Jim replied groggily, trying to keep his eyes open. "Got smashed up, I bet."

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Leonard sighed, "If you behave yourself and manage to keep the water down, I'll see if I can arrange for some sort of healthy Christmas food to be brought in from some civilian diner or somewhere," he stated. "You'll be here until New Year's Day."

"I hate Christmas, Bones," Jim groggily stated. "Can I just sleep through it?"

Leonard sighed, "No, but you can sleep right now," he stated. "We'll deal with Christmas later."

Jim mumbled something incoherent and promptly dropped back off to sleep; in all honesty, he truly loathed Christmas and had no desire to deal with it or talk about it, not even to Bones.

Taking the opportunity to roll his eyes, Leonard rose from his chair and moved towards the wall intercom that was near the doorway. He desperately needed to talk to Captain Pike about Jim.

* * *

December 24 - 1200 H

From within the Vulcan Embassy in San Francisco, Ambassador Sarek sat in a meditative position in his private chamber and reflected on the insights gained from both Ensign Pike and Cadet Kirk.

Amanda was off with Captain Pike and Ensign Pike, they were engaging in a Terran custom known as shopping that most Humans particularly during such a holiday season.

Their plan was to buy things referred to as 'Christmas presents' and enough food to share a 'Christmas dinner' for a meal the next day. Although Sarek didn't make a habit of actively engaging in Human customs during diplomatic trips, he occasionally would participate for Amanda's sake.

From what Sarek had already been able to determine, a Vulcan named Soval had been a key instigator in the initial kidnapping of James Kirk and Arianne Pike, as well as the sole assailant in the attack on James Kirk at a civilian restaurant days earlier. That much was certain to him.

However, as intelligent as Sarek saw himself to be, he had been unable to determine who the other Vulcans involved in the attacks were, as those memories were not accessible for some reason.

Cadet Kirk's inability to open his mind was excusable; he was fully human and like most humans, they were able to hide memories from surfacing for prolonged periods of time subconsciously.

Ensign Pike's mind, however, was very complex and full of memories that were not her own at first glance, but they didn't cause her damage. Besides that, the girl was not fully Human; she had El-Aurian characteristics from what Sarek could tell, but they were so well hidden from the world.

Despite his great mind and logic, Sarek found that he couldn't make sense of it all.

"Father?"

Sarek looked up from his meditation and saw Spock lingering in the doorway of the meditation chamber with what amounted to be an expression of concern on his face, "Spock," he replied.

For a moment, Spock, who was still adjusting to his new faculty position at Starfleet Academy as the Kobyashi Maru programmer, said nothing and merely gave a nod of acknowledgement.

"I feel as if you are having difficulty in meditation," Spock stated as he entered the room and moved over to where his father sat. "May I ascertain the reason as to why and offer my assistance?"

Sarek was silent for a moment, "I have gathered information from Cadet Kirk and Ensign Pike through mind melds that is just short of extraordinary," he stated tonelessly. "The complexities of said information is perhaps too much for one mind to process without assistance."

"If you wish, Father, you may initiate a meld and I will assist in your efforts to interpret the information you have gathered," Spock offered as he sat next to his father in a meditative position.

Sarek gave a nod and placed his hands on Spock's face, "That would be commendable, Spock," he replied in a toneless voice. "Your assistance may help in determining an appropriate solution."

As Sarek initiated the meld, Spock relaxed and allowed his Vulcan side to assert itself so that nothing would interfere in him and his father determining the truth about the current situation.

* * *

Christmas Day - 1300 H

"...Jim, wake up," Leonard's voice said as Jim felt a hand on his shoulder. "Time to wake up."

Annoyed at being woken up, Jim opened his eyes and immediately saw that Captain Pike was standing at the end of his hospital bed with his hands behind his back.

"Can't stay out of trouble, can you?" Chris asked in a concerned, yet sharp tone.

Jim gaped at Captain Pike, "S-Sir, I didn't provoke what happened to me," he stammered, his voice still really weak. "I can't exactly remember why I'm here...just little glimpses of things..."

"Not NOW, Jim," Leonard snapped, seeing that Jim's distress over not being able to remember anything was causing his vital signs to fluctuate. "Captain Pike, not until he's rested more."

For a moment, Captain Pike and Leonard stared at one another, as if daring each other to make some sort of movement or comment, "Doctor McCoy's right, Jim, you're still recovering and now is not an appropriate time to discuss what happened," Chris stated. "On to better topics."

Chris smiled and brought his hands out from behind his back, revealing that he had been hiding two small packages that had been carefully bought and wrapped by Arianne. He handed one to Leonard and set the other one on the bed so that it was within Jim's reach so that he wouldn't strain himself.

"After McCoy talked to me about how you were feeling, he also talked to Arianne and she figured that you could use a little Christmas cheer and she is very sorry that she wasn't able to deliver these herself," Chris explained. "However, she is entertaining diplomat visitors from Vulcan and waiting for me to return home as well. Before I leave, however...one more thing."

Keeping his emotions neutral, Chris picked up a small bag that was full of small containers of different, yet very healthy holiday appropriate foods and cutlery and handed it to Leonard.

"There's some food that you both can have," Chris stated as he moved back towards the door with a smirk emerging on his face. "I'll be in contact with more information within the next few days."

As Chris left, Leonard and Jim looked at each other and then all that had been left for them.

Maybe there were at least two people who cared about their pitiful existences, maybe just a bit.

* * *

Across the Golden Gate Bridge, meanwhile, a cloaked figure boarded a shuttle that was parked on an abandoned airstrip and quickly strapped a smaller cloaked figure into a passenger seat.

"Mother, where are we going?" the younger figure asked in an unusually curious tone.

The taller figure quickly secured herself into a passenger seat next to the smaller figure and was silent as the shuttle closed, the engines ignited, and shot off into the San Francisco sky.

"Lorian, we are going to Vulcan," T'Pol replied as she lowered her hood and looked down at her young son, who was so gifted that he was already talking, despite his young age.

Lorian nodded and leaned against T'Pol, "Mother, I am fatigued," he stated. "May I sleep?"

"You may sleep, my son," T'Pol replied, placing an arm around him. "I will protect you."

Nodding, Lorian fell asleep and as he slept, T'Pol could not help but have a little but of pride in the success that the de-aging experiment had been on her son; he was young again and despite that, his intelligence was progressing rapidly and talking. It was more than he had done a month ago.

The sudden return to Vulcan was in response to the sloppiness that Soval had displayed in his impulsive attack on James Kirk; it had gotten him arrested and exiled to a Starfleet brig.

Now, because of Soval, T'Pol was now going to take Lorian back to Shi'Kahr and, while appearing as if she wanted a life among Vulcans, she would reconnect with Jeris and create a new plan.

There would be a period of grace for those chosen for analysis...then another strike against them...one that would never be forgotten.


	13. January 2256: The Dangers of Caring

**January 2256**

_"...How old are you, child?" Kodos asked the young girl who stood before him dressed in a Starfleet diplomat uniform that fitted her thin form very nicely. "You don't look very old..."_

_Trying to remain calm as Kodos placed his hands on her shoulders, Arianne remained in a perfect standing position, "I just turned 15, Governor," she replied in a respectful tone._

_Kodos chuckled and gently caressed her clothed shoulders, "Ah, so that French school sent a young flower to interview me for their research," he said. "Does Starfleet even know that the school broke protocol and left Earth without getting special clearance? I doubt they do..."_

_Arianne remained silent and still, even as she felt Kodos pulling out the clips that held her hair above her face. Her hair fell down her back and she felt him touching it with an odd reverence._

_"Your classmates are too naive to appreciate my colony, but you are much smarter than any of them," Kodos whispered in her ear. "I shall study you and then show you great wonders..."_

_As Kodos was much taller and stronger than she, Arianne was no match for the bigger man and forced herself to keep calm as Kodos led her out of his office and down a long hallway._

_"Even flowers have to be treated with special care," Kodos explained as he led her to a door that was labelled "Lab". "My lab has other specimens, but you are the freshest sample..."_

_The door to the lab suddenly slid open and a Vulcan female came out, "I assume that this is another specimen for testing, Governor?" the Vulcan female said in a stoic tone._

_"Yes, this is a delicate flower," Kodos stated. "Has the punishment cycle finished yet, T'Pol?"_

_There was a pained cry and the whirring of a machine, "It is finished and the thief will stay in his cell to recover," T'Pol replied cooly. "He will not attempt stealing again after this."_

_"Place this one in his cell until I decide what to do with her," Kodos ordered, giving Arianne a light shove towards T'Pol. "Maybe she can keep that fiesty little brat company for a while."_

_T'Pol nodded and roughly grabbing Arianne's arm, she led the young girl into the lab and over to a metal door. With a click, the door opened and Arianne found herself thrust inside a dark cell._

_As the door closed, overhead lights flashed on and revealed a battered form laying on a bed in the corner of the room. His gray clothes were stained with what appeared to be blood and his hands and face were badly bruised. Arianne recognized the broken form as her old friend Jim._

_"Jim?" Arianne softly whispered, her voice trembling. "What is going on?"_

_Arianne cringed when the only reply from Jim was a fit of coughing and an incoherent moan._

Trembling, Arianne woke and sat up in her bed, relieved that it had all been just a bad dream.

A quick glance at the digital clock on her bedside table told Arianne that it was 0400 and that it was much too early to be awake. Yet, she knew that returning to sleep would be practically impossible.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne got out of bed and quickly dressed in her cadet uniform, as she had a Bridge simulation exam at 0900 and she could use the five hours for last minute studying.

Taking great care to be quiet so not to wake her father, as he had a meeting at 0600, Arianne left her bedroom, descended the stairs, and wandered into the darkened kitchen for a quick snack.

After replicating a large cup of cocoa, Arianne sat at the kitchen table and thought about the sleepless nights that plagued her ever since the attack. She had laid awake in bed so that her father wouldn't have a reason to worry, but the nights had been long and filled with fear.

Dreams from various past events, like Tarsus, plagued her when she was alone and since she had never told anyone, including her father, what she had experienced there, she suffered alone.

With a sigh, Arianne quickly finished the cocoa, stood, and left the house through the back door.

The kitchen was silent once more, for just a moment and then footsteps could be heard.

Yawning, Chris stepped into the living room and sighed; Arianne was already gone.

It wasn't surprising to him that she left early in the mornings, as he had noticed a drastic change in her personality and mannerisms ever since the end of November. She needed help...badly.

* * *

"...I don't regret any actions I took in treating James Kirk, as he is the only friend I have in this gigantic sespool of a planet," Leonard stated into the audio recorder as he leaned back in his chair and looked all around at the quiet Academy library. "I did what I thought was right at the time."

Letting out a sigh, Leonard shut the recorder off and stowed it in his jacket pocket; he had been verbally recalling every little detail of the unauthorized surgery he had performed in December since three that morning and he was worn out emotionally. He needed to find some place to crash for a couple of hours before he met with Captain Pike concerning the inquiry board at 0600.

Jim was still sleeping in his bed back at their dorm, as he was supposed to take it easy until the Bridge qualification exam that some hotshot young cadet had decided to take at 0900, which Leonard thought was the dumbest thing; nobody took Bridge qual exams in the second term.

Swallowing hard, Leonard got to his feet and moved out of the study area, past the shelves full of PADD's and computer stations that were usually filled to capacity with students and staff on an hourly basis; the library looked great after its November remodel, but the memories were still there.

The sound of quiet piano music suddenly caught Leonard's attention and he followed the sound until he saw the source; a young female cadet was seated in one of the pod chairs and there were several PADD's on the floor at her feet. Her blond hair was covering her face and she was slouching.

Leonard scoffed; most likely someone got drunk and made their way to the library last night after the campus bar had closed for the evening because they weren't able to make it to the dorms.

"Hey, time to get up and go back to your dorm," Leonard snapped in a tired voice as he gently nudged the woman's boot with his own. "Regulations prohibit passing out drunk in here."

There was silence and then the woman lifted her head, revealing an infuriated set of blue eyes peeking out from a mess of hair, "Excuse me?" Arianne snapped, immediately recognizing McCoy standing before her. "I'll have you know, Cadet, that I was in a meditative sleep...not passed out."

"Ensign Pike," Leonard said, his voice full of shock as Arianne sat up straighter. "I-"

Arianne sighed and, rising from her chair, she scoffed, "Look, Doctor McCoy, I have a lot to do before 0900, so I'll just be on my way," she snapped, crossing her arms in anger.

Leonard silently watched as Arianne began to move and realized that she was limping. He frowned and, gathering up the PADD's she had left behind, he quickly followed her out of the library.

"Why are you limping?" Leonard asked as he saw Arianne seated on one of the benches just off to the side of the library steps. "If you have some sort of injury, you know that I AM a doctor."

Arianne scoffed, suddenly noticing the PADD's in his hands, "Oh, thanks, you brought me the notes I need to look over before my Bridge qualification sim at 0900," she said, extending her hands to accept the PADD's from him. "I looked over them last night, but I should really-"

"Ensign Pike, don't change the subject," Leonard snapped, concerned by Arianne's sidestepping of the question about her limping. "Why are you limping and when did you sleep last?"

Raising an eyebrow, Arianne muttered something about him being a pain in her backside and snatched the PADD's from his hands. She began to scan them furiously, ignoring him.

Gritting his teeth, Leonard grabbed her hands, causing her to drop the PADDs, "Look, I don't hit women or anything, but you had BETTER start talking or I'll contact your father," he snapped, ignoring the death look Arianne was giving him. "Answer my questions now and DO NOT lie."

"Why aren't you looking after Jimmy?" Arianne snapped back in a voice that wasn't hers. "I don't care about myself at all, but after what Jimmy has been through, he needs friends."

Leonard frowned, "Jim's back at our dorm, asleep," he replied. "I had some stuff to do."

"Well, go and look after him," Arianne snapped as she rose and kicked the PADD's out of her footpath so she could walk away. "Next time, I'll kill whoever tries to hurt Jimmy...I mean it."

Alarmed at the fact that Arianne was implying that she had almost killed someone or a lot of someones because they hurt Jim, Leonard pulled her towards him and released her.

Knowing that something had to be done to deal with the post-traumatic stress disorder that was obviously affecting her view on reality, Leonard opened his medical kit and took out a hypospray.

"I know I might get expelled for this, but I have to do it," Leonard stated as he grabbed hold of Arianne and pressed the hypospray against her neck. "Time for you to get some help, Ensign."

Whatever was in the hypospray acted fast and Arianne quickly passed out in Leonard's arms as limp as a rag doll. Leonard sighed and gently scooped her up in his arms. She was so light to carry, which, considering her age and level of physical activity, was NOT a good sign.

Relieved that nobody was around, Leonard gripped the med-kit with his fingers and carried the unconscious Arianne down the stairs and off down the path towards the dorms; he needed to act fast in order for his plan to work.

His intention was to take Arianne back to his and Jim's dorm, let her rest in his bed while he told Jim about the situation, and then the three of them would discuss the past together.

Little did Leonard know, however, that he would never be able to carry out his plan and that a pair of dark eyes were watching from behind one of the pillars and planned to take their own action.

* * *

Yawning, Chris ignored the sudden flash of lights as he wandered over to his desk and took a seat in the plush office chair behind it. He quickly activated his computer and immediately saw that he had recieved one priority message among the hundreds of regular message.

Chris raised an eyebrow and clicked the priority message, seeing it was from L. McCoy.

_Captain Pike_

_I ran into Ensign Pike at the library this morning when I was working on my statement. She does not look well and I respectfully request that her Bridge qual be canceled until further notice. I took the liberty of giving her a sedative and she'll rest at my dorm until she feels better. _

_There will be no sexual play, I promise. I just want to help her the only way I know how._

_I'll contact you in a day or two to update you on her progress._

_Sincerely,_

_Leonard H. McCoy, MD and Starfleet Cadet._

Chris was stunned; Cadet McCoy was going to make Arianne open up to him by sedating her, dragging her to him and Cadet Kirk's dorm, and making her rest until she felt better. He was impressed, but Cadet McCoy wasn't doing himself any favors by acting in such a rash manner.

Admiral Archer was mad enough about the whole fiasco in December, but Chris knew that if the Admiral got wind of this, he would write out the order for McCoy's expulsion himself with pleasure.

Chris sighed, he wouldn't say anything to the Admirality just yet; instead, he would make his way over to Kirk and McCoy's dorm and make sure the two knew that they were to behave like gentlemen while Arianne was there. He would then arrange for Arianne to see a counselor.

Tapping his computer off, Chris rose from his chair and slowly moved out of his office; nobody else would be in for a few hours and by then, Chris would be back, working on paperwork.

* * *

"Do not move," Leonard heard a voice say as he stopped to give himself a rest from speedwalking along the path with a sedated Arianne in his arms. "I will shoot both you and her if you do."

Frowning, Leonard turned around to find himself face-to-face with an aged Vulcan who was pointing a phaser at them. The Vulcan almost smiled when he saw Arianne.

"I will take her now and spare your life," Soval stated. "Give her to me."

Scoffing, as he couldn't help but wonder if this Vulcan had ingested some sort of substance that was causing him to act drunk, Leonard turned away; he was just going to ignore all this.

"You illogical human, give her to me now and I will spare your life," Soval again stated, his teeth gritting as Leonard began walking over to a bench to give both him and Arianne a rest.

Leonard continued to ignore Soval as he gently laid Arianne on the bench and opened his medkit to get his tricorder out; he wanted to scan her to make sure that she was doing okay sedated.

Soval was quick, he moved over to Leonard and quickly administered a Vulcan nerve pinch, promptly sending the young doctor to the ground unconscious. He then kicked the medkit aside and grabbed the unconscious Arianne; he had to hurry, his contact was waiting for his return.

Fighting to retain the emotional control that Vulcans were supposed to have, Soval began to carry Arianne across the grass to where a shuttle waited in the bushes. Suddenly, he felt a boot to his back and Arianne fell from his arms and into the wet grass uninjured.

Growling, Soval turned around and saw a groggy looking Leonard standing there with his fists raised into a fighting stance, "Back off, you pointy-eared drunk," Leonard hissed.

Before he knew it, Leonard found his fists connecting with Soval's aged face and was too amped up on adrenaline to even feel the return punches that Soval was administering. Fortunately it was early enough that a crowd of students or command level officers weren't surrounding them.

Unfortunately for Leonard, Soval drop-kicked him and Leonard soon found himself on his back with Soval's boot on his chest. Almost immediately, Soval belted him in the face with the phaser.

As Leonard's vision faded, he thought he could see another being approaching them.

* * *

Still slightly groggy from being woken from a much needed sleep, Jim stumbled over to his dormitory door and opened it. To his shock, Captain Pike was standing in the hallway.

"Captain Pike," Jim croaked as he struggled to wake up. "Is this a surprise inspection?"

Chris frowned, "Is Cadet McCoy around?" he asked. "I'd like to talk to both you and him."

"I don't know where he is," Jim replied in a groggy voice. "The door woke me up."

Chris frowned and moved into the room, "Cadet Kirk, get dressed and come with me," he replied in a stern tone. "Don't take a shower or anything, just get your uniform on and follow me."

Ignoring Jim's shocked look, Chris turned his back and took a deep breath to calm down; from what he knew of Cadet McCoy's character, he would never do anything to hurt a woman.

Chris was about to turn around when suddenly, his communicator beeped.

Frowning, Chris pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it open, "Captain Pike here," he said.

"Captain Pike, Security Officer Prescott here," the voice said. "I was doing my morning patrols around campus and I came across what looked like the remnants of a fight, sir."

Chris raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, "We sealed off the area and found a couple of student pass cards as well as what looks like a medkit surrounded by bloodstains on one of the lawns," the voice said. "We ran the cards and they belong to Cadet McCoy and Cadet Pike, sir."

Fighting the urge to swear, Chris turned and saw Jim dressed in his cadet uniform, "Sir, we also collected samples of the blood and beamed it over to the Science Lab," the voice continued in his heavy tone. "The red blood belongs to Cadet McCoy and the green blood belongs to a Vulcan named Soval who was detained by Admiral Archer last month for attacking Cadet Kirk."

Chris suddenly noticed that all the color had drained from Jim's face, "That fight in the bathroom at that restaurant on Christmas Eve," Jim whispered. "I remember...someone grabbed my face."

"Officer Prescott, contact Admiral Archer," Chris sternly ordered. "Tell him to comm me."

Placing his communicator on a nearby counter, Chris walked over to where Jim stood motionless with a shellshocked expression on his face and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Cadet Kirk, why don't you sit down?" Chris said as he gently guided Jim over to his unmade bed and sat him down. "I need you to talk to me so that I don't think that you've gone into shock."

Jim blinked and looked down at the floor, "Since that night, I wasn't able to remember what happened and it's scared the heck out of Bones," he said in a shocked tone. "I just couldn't remember any of it...what I overheard...it made me start to remember."

Drops of sweat began to form on Jim's forehead, "H-he grabbed my face," Jim whispered in a trembling voice. "He called me by name...said that I must submit...h-he..."

"...Chris, are you there?" the concerned voice of Admiral Archer suddenly filtered through the communicator on the counter. "I just got commed by Officer Prescott...what happened?"

Without warning, Jim sank back on to his bed and placing a hand over his mouth, he began to whimper. Chris inched closer to the bed and saw that Cadet Kirk was gravitating between breaking into tears and puking his guts out all over the place; Chris knew that Jim was going into shock.

"Jon, call Starfleet Medical and tell Doctor Puri to-" Chris began before Cadet Kirk suddenly lurched forward and puked what appeared to be the remnants of a ration dinner all over the standard-issue bedclothes that all cadets were given. "Get someone over here NOW."

Chris heard muffled swearing, "The blanket's ruined," Jim whispered, embarrassed by the hot tears that were running down his face. "I'll do some work on the campus to replace it...I promise."

'Don't worry about it," Chris stated gently. "How are you feeling?"

Jim took a deep breath and Chris quickly pushed the puke-stained blanket off the bed so that Cadet Kirk wouldn't have to rest near his own vomit. He then quickly unbuttoned Cadet Kirk's jacket.

The sound of matter materializing into the dorm caused Chris to turn and see Phlox standing there with a fully equipped med-kit in one of his Denobluan hands, "Doctor Puri wasn't on duty yet, so Admiral Archer asked me to come," Phlox explained as he moved over to the bed where Jim sat upright, barely responsive. "Hello, Cadet, my name is Doctor Phlox and I'm going to help you."

"Jim Kirk," Jim replied weakly as he laid down on the bed. "Where's Bones?"

Chris sighed, "Just listen to Doctor Phlox and I'll go find him for you," he replied in a soft tone, so not to frighten Cadet Kirk anymore than he already was. "Just lie there and relax."

Without waiting for a reply, Chris turned on his heel and quickly left the dormitory. He had to meet up with Admiral Archer and figure out what was going on; this was NOT normal by any means.

* * *

_Cold...noise...unable to speak...pain..._

Feeling his teeth clamped down on something soft, Leonard opened his eyes and saw that he was staring at what appeared to be a ceiling of sorts; he couldn't move his body at all.

Lights flashed in his eyes, causing Leonard to emit a muffled groan, "This is NOT James Kirk!" an angry voice shouted as Leonard felt a hand grab his already sore face. "Who IS this specimen?"

"He was with Arianne Pike and refused to leave her," Leonard heard a voice whom he recognized to be his attacker reply. "He is both an Academy cadet and, according to the med-kit he had on him, a medical doctor."

The light faded and Leonard felt the gag ripped from his mouth, "Tell me who you are," a gruff male voice hissed as Leonard felt his face being slapped. "Why were you with Arianne Pike?"

"I'm not telling you my name!" Leonard yelled as he struggled to get free of whatever was hilding him in a laying down position. "Where's Arianne and why am I tied down like a wild animal?"

There was silence, "You are strapped to a lab table within the underground labs of Shi'Kahr," the montone voice replied. "Specimen Arianne Pike is being studied in the biochemistry lab."

"She's a human being, not a lab experiment!," Leonard yelled, appalled that Arianne was being subjected to heaven knows what. "We're Academy cadets and we need to get back to campus!"

Lights flooded the room, revealing Soval lingering there, "I am afraid that would be quite impossible to do at the moment," Soval stated. "You are deep within the Vulcan homeworld and with current Earth technology, it would take some time for you and specimen Pike to be retrieved."

"Soval, if the man wants to talk so much, bring him," a deep voice said. "We can use him."

Soval quickly unclamped the bindings holding Leonard to the table, "I trust you are able to walk on your own and not cause trouble," he said. "If you cause trouble, harm will come to your friend."

Not wanting any more harm to come to Ensign Pike, Leonard was quiet as he got up from the table and, ignoring the stiffness in his body, he followed Soval into a room that contained several wall to wall consoles, several human-sized pods, and an array of strange equipment and supplies scattered across several transparent counters. A pointy-eared scientist lingered at a table.

"Ah, welcome," the being said, his tone one of amusement. "I am Jeris and this is my lab."

Leonard didn't move or say anything, causing Jeris to laugh and reach under the table, "Put these on and give Soval your cadet reds, please," Jeris ordered as he tossed Leonard a gray wrap around tunic and loose cargo pants. "Since we can't have James Kirk, we'll have to make do with you."

"Give me proof that Ensign Pike is still alive," Leonard snapped as he gripped the clothes in his hands. "If you've killed her, I won't do anything you say no matter how much you beat me."

Jeris motioned for Leonard to come over to one of the pods; when he did, Leonard was shocked to see an unconscious Arianne inside, wearing an identical gray uniform. Her vitals were stable.

"You see, no harm has come to her," Jeris stated. "Now, put on the clothes."

Resisting the urge to unleash his temper on these strange Vulcans, Leonard quickly shed his cadet uniform and put on the gray clothes. Soval quickly took his cadet uniform away and left the room.

"All right, now take a seat in that chair over there," Jeris instructed cooly, pointing to a metal exam chair in the corner of the room that was surrounded by a mess of nasty looking instruments.

Leonard cast another glance at the unconscious Arianne and then silently walked over to the chair even though it looked like it could kill a person. He sat, ignoring how cold the chair felt.

Jeris grinned and walked over to the chair. He clipped something to Leonard's finger and brought a bright interrogation light down so it shone right in Leonard's eyes. For a moment, Jeris was silent and then he attached little sticky pads all over the chest that the low tunic neckline exposed.

"We'll start with a little interrogation as to why you were with Arianne Pike and where James Kirk currently is," Jeris stated as he examined a monitor above the chair. "I wouldn't suggest lying, as these monitors will detect physiological changes caused by lying and dispense punishment."

Leonard was silent, instead glaring at Jeris, "All right," Jeris stated cooly. "Let's begin."

* * *

Biting his lip, Admiral Archer glared across the desk at Chris, who was seated in a chair next to a shellshocked Cadet Kirk; he could also see Phlox leaning against the doorway of his office.

"I don't know HOW Soval escaped from Starfleet Security," Jonathan snapped, irritated that even now, Vulcans managed to get the upper hand on him. "He was supposed to be extradited back to Vulcan for trial this month and now he's taken two of our cadets for whatever reason."

Jim lowered his head, "If I could have remembered, sir," he spoke in a soft, trembling voice that clearly indicated he felt guilty about this situation. "If I could have remembered, I could have-"

"Phlox, take Cadet Kirk back to his dorm and ensure that he gets some rest," Jonathan ordered in a stern tone, as he wanted to talk with Chris privately. "Kirk, you're off classes until tomorrow."

Phlox came forward and as if trained by fear, Jim rose, "My fault, sir," he whispered as he moved over to where Phlox was standing. "I couldn't remember any of what happened that night."

Jonathan gave Phlox a look, "Come with me, Cadet Kirk," Phlox stated in what he hoped was a soothing tone as he gently put a hand on Jim's shoulder. "I'll walk you back to your dorm."

Still slightly groggy from the hypo that Phlox had given him back at the dorm to help calm him down, Jim nodded and was quiet as Phlox led him from the room. Chris let out a weary sigh.

The computer suddenly beeped, prompting Jonathan to frown and peer at the screen; he was floored to see that an urgent email message was flashing at him, waiting to be read.

Cursing under his breath, Jonathan clicked the message and his eyes suddenly went wide.

_Attention Starfleet Command and Starfleet Academy personnel:_

_Arianne C. Pike and Leonard H. McCoy are hereby declared subjects of Section 31 experimentation and analysis until further notice. Their location was in one of the basement science labs of Shi'Kahr, Vulcan for primary analysis, but they have since been moved to a secure location._

_They are being treated humanely and will have opportunities to submit all necessary Academy work through our agents and it will be delivered to the Academy through secure channels. _

_Contact with them will not be possible and when they have fulfilled their purpose, they will be devoid of all memories related to their time among us and returned to their rightful place in society._

_It is rather disappointing not to have possession of Cadet James Kirk as well, but Cadet McCoy will serve as a useful substitute and we will find a way to get what we need from Cadet Kirk later on._

_Now, you may attempt to rescue the cadets, but it is doubtful that Starfleet has decent enough technology to locate the source of this message. However, we do wish you luck in trying._

_If either cadet puts a toe out of line, may space have mercy on their souls._

_Sincerely,_

_Section 31_

It happened so quickly; Jonathan rose from his desk and began pacing while unleashing a tirade of swear words so nasty that even Chris was gaping at him with a look of utter shock on his face.

"I have connections into the organization of Section 31 and I know who their operative is," Jonathan hissed, fire in his eyes and his teeth grinding so fast that they were wearing down. "Not a word to Command about this, Chris."

Bewildered, Chris watched as Jonathan marched over to a communications terminal and began punching in a strange command code, "T'Pol, I want answers!" he shouted as a female Vulcan appeared on the screen. "Section 31 took two cadets without provocation and I want answers!"

T'Pol was silent for a moment, "If you provide me with the message they sent you, I can most likely find the origin of the transmission," she stated in a monotone voice. "I told you not to contact me."

Cursing loudly, Jonathan ran back to his desk and quickly used the computer to send a copy of the message to T'Pol, "No doubt Soval is behind this," Jonathan snapped as he looked back at T'Pol.

The screen suddenly faded to black and as Jonathan cursed, the door slid open and Spock entered.

"Captain Pike, Admiral Archer, I was perusing the library for some research time this morning before I engaged in my instructional duties and a message of both an interesting and alarming nature appeared on the screen," Spock stated. "I suspect that the message has been appearing on computers all over the Starfleet properties, as I noticed a great deal of activity on my way here."

Chris sighed and crossed his arms, "People are starting to panic," he reasoned, exasperated by the fact that Section 31 had not only struck again, they were inciting mass hysteria within Starfleet.

"Captain Pike, go over to Cadet Kirk's dorm and ensure that he isn't being harassed," Jonathan stated in an exasperated tone. "His name was mentioned in the message, so any friends of Cadet McCoy or Ensign Pike might blame him and seek to cause physical harm to him."

Chris nodded and quickly left the room, "Commander Spock, can you analyze this message and determine its point of origin?" Jonathan asked, gesturing to his computer. "Once we figure out where the cadets have been taken, a rescue operation can be organized."

"I am not as well versed in Section 31 operations as much as I would prefer, however, I believe that my knowledge of the sciences will prove useful," Spock stated as he took a seat at the computer and studied the message extensively. "I trust a rescue party is being prepared?"

Jonathan nodded, "As soon as we figure out where the cadets are, we'll send one," he said in a tone of irritation at Spock's stating the obvious. "I should really go and help keep panic to a minimum. Feel free to use my computer for as long as you need to, Commander."

"I had intended on doing so, Admiral," Spock stated, his eyes not leaving the computer screen.

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Jonathan nodded and silently left the room.

* * *

The sound of banging on his dormitory door caused Jim to sit up in bed with a groan, which attracted the attention of Phlox, who was seated in the sitting area, studying a PADD.

"Just stay there, Cadet Kirk, I'll see who it is," Phlox stated as he rosed and moved over to the door that led to the dormitory hallway, as he didn't want Cadet Kirk stressed more than he already was.

With a tap of the keypad, Phlox opened the door and nearly missed a fist flying at his face, which was attached to the body of an infuriated look of cadets. They all looked as if they wanted to fight.

"Where's Kirk at?" one of the cadets snapped. "We want to talk to him about McCoy and Pike."

Before Phlox could reply, the crowd of cadets shoved past Phlox and over to where Jim was sitting up in bed, "Hey, Kirk, we wanna know what you did to Pike and McCoy."

"I didn't do anything to them," Jim replied groggily. "I don't even know where they are."

There was murmuring amongst the cadets and two of them lunged at Jim, forcibly dragging him from the bed and on to the floor while forcing one arm behind his back. Jim gritted his teeth.

"You're a liar, Kirk!" one of the cadets replied as Jim felt a boot connect with his jaw.

Phlox moved forward in an attempt to intervene, but two of the cadets restrained him and Phlox was forced to watch as several cadets beat the stuffing out of Cadet Kirk, ignoring his pleas to stop.

"We'll be back in 24 hours to do this again if you're not ready to talk, Kirk," one of the cadets hissed as Jim felt himself being released. "Your Denobulan watchdog had better keep quiet too."

In a matter of seconds, the cadets were gone and Phlox was hovering over Jim, who was breathing heavily and unable to talk because his jaw hurt from being kicked by a hard Starfleet boot.

"What happened in here?" Chris yelled as he suddenly entered the dorm and saw a badly beaten Cadet Kirk laying on the floor on his stomach with Phlox standing over him. "Explain, please."

Phlox sighed, "An explanation can wait, Captain," he replied. "I think we had better take Cadet Kirk to Medical as fast as possible. Once Doctor Puri is attending to him, I will explain what happened."

From his position on the floor, Jim swore he could hear Captain Pike calling for emergency medical assistance, but the combination of pain and fear quickly sent him into a deep blackness.

* * *

Several hours later, Jim awoke to find himself laying in a hospital bed at Starfleet Medical with Captain Pike sitting on a stool beside his bed with a large stylus in his hand.

Jim frowned and tried to move his mouth, but found that he couldn't, "Easy there, Jim," Chris stated gently as he placed the stylus on Jim's lap. "Use the stylus to write what you want to say."

Suddenly realizing that his left arm was secured to a chest in a shoulder sling, Jim slowly typed a message out on the stylus with his right hand and showed it to Chris; it read _What happened?_

"You were attacked in your dorm by a bunch of cadets who were apparently blaming you for the disappearance of Cadet McCoy and Ensign Pike," Chris explained in a gentle voice.

Ignoring the pain that shot through his frail body, Jim typed on the stylus and handed it back to Chris, his eyes full of confused anger; _Why can't I move my arm and why can't I talk?_

"The attackers dislocated your shoulder and broke your jaw," Chris explained, hoping that Academy Command would find and expel whoever was responsible for this happening. "Doctor Phlox fixed your shoulder and your jaw was wired shut so it can heal...which should take about a month."

Jim took a deep breath and his right hand shook as he typed out another message and as he held the stylus for Chris to see; _Have they found Bones and Arianne yet? _it read.

"No, no they haven't, but we're doing everything we can to find them," Chris replied as he took the stylus from Jim's fingers. "Your hand's shaking, it's time for you to take a little break."

Jim shook his head and Chris sighed, placing the stylus on his lap, "All right, you can ask one more question and then I have to go tell Phlox that you're awake," Chris stated firmly. "Puri's on a com-channel with Command and Phlox has to get you on fluids and nutri-drips."

Quickly moving his fingers across the stylus keyboard, Jim handed it back; _I can't go back to that dorm, they said they'd be back in 24 hours...I need to stay somewhere where they can't find me._

Chris was silent for a moment and sighed, "I'll talk with Admiral Archer and see if something can't be arranged for you," he stated as he placed the stylus on Jim's lap. "Admiral Archer teaches about 50 classes a week and he's good at it, but even the most stubborn need assistance. Maybe I can arrange for you to be his assistant and maybe he'll let you stay with him in exchange."

Jim nodded, blinking tiredly as his right hand fell limply on the blanket, "I have two Starfleet Security officers posted outside the room, so you're safe," Chris ordered as he got to his feet. "If you need to communicate, use the stylus and don't try to talk. I want you to go to sleep right NOW."

Nobody had to tell Jim twice and as his eyes closed, Chris turned and silently left the room. He moved down the hallway to where he saw Jonathan lingering just outside of Dr. Puri's office.

"Commander Spock's holed himself up in my office," Jonathan stated as he saw Chris approach. "Doctor Puri is in contact with both Starfleet Command and the Vulcan High Command about this situation. I've sent out campus-wide orders that every student and instructor is to log a sample of their DNA, campus ID number, and fingerprints with Starfleet Security...off-campus travel has also been restricted to weekends and nobody is to travel alone anymore...on or off campus."

Chris nodded, but remained silent, "Classes will continue as normal and I've enacted a media ban all over the campus so that people aren't being harassed," Jonathan stated. "I've already gotten comms from diplomatic embassies all over Earth...this is instilling a worldwide panic, Chris."

Biting his lip, Chris sighed, "Jon, Cadet Kirk regained consciousness and I managed to have a brief conversation before he got too tired," he stated. "I told him about what you suggested and he's up for all of it, but he wants to live with you too...he doesn't feel safe going back to his dorm."

"It'll be good to have someone looking after my dogs and watching my house when I'm stuck pulling all-night work sessions on campus or at Command," Jonathan replied. "I know I'm getting up there in years, but I think Puri will back off on my retirement when I say that I have an assistant."

Chris couldn't help but chuckle, "Don't overwork him, Jon," he replied. "Kirk's not superhuman."

Before Jonathan could reply, the door to Dr. Puri's office slid open a crack, "Admiral Archer, Captain Pike, would you both please join this discussion?" the irritated voice of Dr. Puri asked. "Both Command and the Vulcan High Command wish to have your input on this situation."

Exchanging a look, both Admiral Archer and Captain Pike nodded, silently moving into Dr. Puri's office; Cadet Kirk would be okay for the moment and hopefully Cadet McCoy and Ensign Pike would soon be located, rescued, and able to return to the Academy and their own lives.

Nobody wanted to think about what would happen if there wasn't a good outcome to this crisis.


	14. March:April 2256: Fragile Lives and Time

**March 2256**

_Dear Diary,_

_It's almost the end of March; three months since Ensign Pike and I were kidnapped off the Academy campus for the purposes of unknown experimentation. We are both still very much alive._

_As I'm writing this, I gaze over at Ensign Pike, who is asleep on top of her bed with her hair down and her body covered in the outfit that we are both forced to wear. Honestly, if I wasn't still reeling from the pain that my divorce caused...never mind, I couldn't put myself through that again._

_I started keeping this diary after all my testing was finally complete at the end of January; the extensive testing made me feel like I had just woken up from a powerful anesthetic..._

_We are both treated very humanely and are given opportunities to work on our class work for the Academy, provided that we do not protest the experimentation. I hate being treated like a lab rat, but I have to remember that Arianne is going through the same thing too, so I don't whine._

_Despite being treated humanely, neither of us are allowed access to any news of any kind about the outside world, even if it IS mindless gossip from a tabloid. Whoever is holding us here chooses not to communicate with us outside of the occasional interrogation we are given._

_Endless bodily samples have been taken from both myself and Ensign Pike and I have no idea what our captors plan to do with them and frankly, I'm not sure I want to know..._

_Our minds have been probed endlessly through something called Vulcan mind melds and I find myself not remembering much from when we were first brought here. Maybe I'm not supposed to._

_Anyway, I should really put this away...I'm sure we'll be experimented on again very soon._

"Doctor McCoy?"

Tapping the PADD off, Leonard looked up and saw Arianne sitting up, looking back at him through tired eyes from her bunk across the large room that they had been given by their captors to rest in, "Do you not know the meaning of rest, Doctor McCoy?" she asked, not willing to give into her own feelings and address him by his first name. "You've been working on stuff for hours."

"I'm not much for sleep, Ensign," Leonard replied as he put the PADD in his pocket and sat up on the bed he had been given. "Sleep's easier when I'm too exhausted to think about doing it."

Arianne nodded and sitting up, she quickly used a rubber band to pull her messy hair back into a ponytail, "You look like crap, Doctor McCoy," she commented. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Not particularly, no" Leonard replied in a hesitant voice. "It's nothing I can't handle alone."

Before Arianne could reply, the door opened and Soval entered the room carrying what appeared to be two sets of winter clothes under his arm. He tossed one at Leonard and the other at Arianne.

"Clothe yourselves in those and follow me immediately," Soval ordered in a monotone voice.

Exchanging a look, Leonard and Arianne quickly put on the items and got to their feet, "Follow me," Soval stated gesturing out the door. "There is another test you are both to take."

There was absolute silence as Leonard and Arianne followed Soval through a long hallway towards a metallic door; Soval then opened the door, revealing a blinding snowstorm.

"Your endurance in environments beyond your control will now be tested," Soval stated as both Leonard and Arianne felt themselves suddenly being shoved face-first into the snow.

The door slammed shut and ignoring what the cold was already doing to his body, Leonard got to his feet and helped Arianne stand up. Together, they gazed out at the white nothingness.

"We'll die of hypothermia if we stand here for long," Arianne stated as she eased away from Leonard and moved across the snow. "Doctor McCoy, we should start walking."

Before Leonard could reply, Arianne began to move across the snow and immediately fell over.

"Are you okay?" Leonard asked as he hurried over and knelt down beside Arianne.

Arianne nodded and slowly got to her feet, "I'm all right," she replied softly. "Shall we?"

Leonard nodded and was silent as he followed Arianne across the frozen desert wasteland.

* * *

After walking for what seemed like an eternity, Leonard and Arianne were surprised to find a cave that wasn't much warmer, but it was a lot better than staying out in the blizzarding desert.

"Any idea where we are?" Leonard asked, his tone slightly irritated because of the intense cold.

Arianne shook her head and promptly took a seat on a rock to rest her near frozen legs and feet for a moment, "I honestly don't have any idea," she replied, wincing as she extended her feet.

"What's wrong?" Leonard asked, catching the look of discomfort on Arianne's face.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne rubbed her left leg subconsciously, "I broke my leg a few years back and it's hurting because of how cold it is," she replied. "I'll be okay in a minute, Doctor."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Leonard removed his jacket and placed it over Arianne's legs; he then turned away and rubbed the arms of his tunic with his gloved hands to keep warm.

"You don't have to do that," Arianne replied as she rose and picked the jacket up.

Without waiting for a reply, Arianne moved over to Leonard and placed the jacket around his shoulders; she then gently guided him over to the rock where she had been sitting.

"We'll sit back to back, that way we'll both be warm," Arianne said in a gentle tone, not wanting Leonard to freeze to death just for being a gentleman. "I don't want you dying just for me."

Leonard shook his head, "It's not going to be enough, I have to hold you in my arms and we'll keep each other warmer that way," he stated, unable to resist wanting to hold Arianne.

With a sigh, Arianne nodded and tensed up slightly as Leonard wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close while the jacket hung on his back; she wasn't used to close contact.

"Put your coat on, Doctor McCoy, you'll freeze," Arianne said, her voice tiring from the cold.

Scoffing, Leonard quickly put his coat back on and resumed holding her close, "If we're going to end up dying together in this frozen sespool, let's at least be on a first name basis," he said in a gruff tone, concerned that he could feel her tensing up in his arms. "You need to relax."

"I've never been held like this by a man before," Arianne replied in a soft voice. "Even if it is just to keep each other warm, I have to admit...it's kind of nice. How are you doing, Leonard?"

Leonard was silent, his mind reeling about the fact that she had addressed him by his first name without attaching some nasty swear word or nickname to it; he felt like a cherished person.

"I'm hanging in there, Arianne," Leonard replied in a tired voice. "This cold is making me tired."

Arianne let out a weak chuckle, "That's what the cold does," she replied gently.

As the two sat there, relying on each other for warmth, they were unaware of the figures in the shadows that had their phasers set to maximum stunning force and ready to fire.

It was quick; two shots and both Leonard and Arianne lay on the floor of the cave unconscious, yet they were in the same position that they had been in on the rock with their hands locked.

* * *

**Starfleet Medical - Starfleet Academy Campus - San Francisco, Earth**

_"...Increase the dosage, I don't want to have to amputate anything because of frostbite," _

_"...Doctor, vitals are fluctuating...maybe he's beginning to regain consciousness..."_

_"...Get Captain Pike in here immediately...hook up another drip feed to his arm..."_

_"...Doctor McCoy?...Doctor McCoy, can you hear me?"_

Blurry faces greeted Leonard as he opened his eyes; he suddenly felt so warm and tired.

Groaning, Leonard blinked and everything came into focus; Dr. Puri was hovering over him with a medical tricorder and hypospray in his hands, "Doctor McCoy, can you hear me?" he asked.

Sudden pain shot up his back and across his shoulders, causing Leonard to flinch, "Your back was hit by a phaser," Dr. Puri explained. "Your shoulders and neck were suffering from frostbite."

Concerned by the fact that Dr. McCoy wasn't responding verbally, Dr. Puri quickly administered the hypospray and Leonard felt the pain dissipate considerably, "Doctor McCoy, you're starting to scare me a bit, so I need you to start talking," he said in a concerned tone.

"Where am I?" Leonard asked, shocked at how tired his voice sounded.

Dr. Puri opened his medical tricorder and began scanning, "You're at Starfleet Medical and being well taken care of," he replied curtly. "Severe hypothermia, mild frostbite, numerous bruises and strange little puncture marks all over your body indicating that you were injected-"

Gritting his teeth, Leonard slowly sat up and promptly realized that Dr. Puri had told the truth; he was in a patient bed at Starfleet Medical; the question was, how did he manage to get there?

"At ease, Cadet McCoy," Leonard suddenly heard as Captain Pike entered the room and walked over to his bedside with a PADD in his hands. "How are you feeling?"

Leonard thought for a moment, "How did I end up here?" he asked, the look of pure confusion on his face indicating to Chris that he couldn't remember the past three months very well.

"You and Ensign Pike were found at the edge of the Academy campus five days ago," Chris explained in a patient tone. "The clothes you were found in were a bit odd, however..."

Leonard was silent, so Chris continued, "Ensign Pike was treated for hypothermia, tested for diseases, and released four days ago," Chris explained. "You, however, went into massive shock from hypothermia and frostbite...there are also signs on your body indicating massive trauma."

"Sir, I don't know what to tell you," Leonard replied, ignoring the uneasy feelings that were creeping into his heart and mind. "I have no idea what happened to me or why."

Chris nodded, "From what I know of it, I'm sure you don't," he replied. "You've been gone for three months and obviously been through a lot of traumatic experiences judging by the information that you kept in a diary...It's been analyzed by Intel right now and they'll have questions for you."

"Captain Pike, I think that questioning can wait for a few days until McCoy's out of the hospital," Dr. Puri stated, giving Chris a don't-argue-with-me look. "Is Cadet Kirk still in the hallway?"

Leonard looked at Chris, "Jim's here?" he asked, eager to see his only friend on campus.

"Forget it, McCoy, you need to rest," Dr. Puri said in a no-nonsense tone. "Maybe Kirk can come back when you're ready to be released and look after you for a few days."

Leonard suddenly felt a headache coming on, "Captain Pike, is Ensign Pike all right?" he asked, unable to resist caring about Arianne any longer. "You said she was only kept here a day."

"No more talking," Dr. Puri suddenly spoke up, seeing the look of discomfort in Leonard's eyes and face. "McCoy, are you starting to get a headache from sitting up?"

Leonard felt himself nodding and suddenly, he felt himself being eased downward, "Captain Pike, with all due respect, I need you to leave so that McCoy can get some rest," Dr. Puri stated in a snappish tone. "Take Cadet Kirk with you...I don't need him in here every moment of every day."

"We'll talk soon," Leonard heard Chris say as he left the room. "Get some rest."

Sighing, Leonard let his head roll to the side as his body began surrendering to the sleep that beckoned; he saw a nurse adding a dripline to his exposed forearm, which already had one.

A hypospray was suddenly pressed against his neck and with a hiss, Leonard knew no more.

* * *

Arianne was silent as she watched her father and Jim walk out of Starfleet Medical; they both looked tired, but content. She rose from the bench she was seated on to await them.

"Doctor McCoy will be fine after he gets some rest," Chris stated, seeing the anxiety in Arianne's eyes as he knew she cared for the young doctor. "Are you sure you don't want to see him?"

Shaking her head, Arianne sighed, "I'll teach his aviaphobia course in the fall like I promised Academy Command, but for now, I think Doctor McCoy needs space," she replied in a soft tone, knowing that he needed time to process recent events in his mind. "Besides, I'm tired and there's a lot to do yet."

Swallowing hard, Arianne moved down the stairs and began walking across the path that would lead back to the library; she had some assignments to finish and final exams to study for.

"You know what, I think you need some time away from campus," Jim's voice suddenly spoke into her ear, causing Arianne to turn and see Jim standing beside her. "Go on a vacation."

Arianne sighed as Jim put a protective arm around her, "Jim, what happened to you while Doctor McCoy and I were missing?" she asked, giving him a concerned look. "Something did."

Jim gave her a look of his own, "Don't tell Bones, I mean it," he replied. "You promise?"

Arianne nodded and Jim sighed, "I was attacked in my dorm by a gang of cadets that blamed me for you and Bones disappearing," he stated. "They busted my jaw and dislocated my shoulder."

Arianne froze in her tracks and gave Jim a look, "Jim, that's not right," she hissed, anger in her voice. "Do you want me to take care of the people who did it? I might know who they are."

"Don't worry about it," Jim replied in a soft, yet anxious voice. "How are you holding up?"

Letting out a sigh, Arianne gave Jim a smile, "About the same as I was before any of this started happening," she replied. "You know as well as I do that some things don't fade with time."

"Yeah, yeah I do," Jim replied softly. "Anyway, do you need some help with homework?"

Arianne smiled, "Always," she replied. "It's been hard not having you around, Jim."

Jim grinned, "I hope it's not just cause I'm the smartest cadet on campus," he replied in an amused tone, knowing that Arianne looked to him like a sister would her brother.

"Of course not," Arianne replied, giving Jim a mock-glare. "James, I've missed you a lot."

Hearing Arianne refer to him by his actual name made Jim smile, "You are the ONLY one who can get away with calling me that," he replied softly. "Ugh, Arianne, I want to get off campus."

"The restrictions are still up," Arianne stated cooly. "Finals are two weeks away anyway."

Jim shrugged, "I'm not worried about finals, but I'll help you," he said, an impish grin on his face as he put an arm around Arianne. "We can study in the canteen if you want...I'm starving."

As they walked off down another path that would take them to the canteen, Arianne smirked at Jim's boyish nature; it was what made them such great friends, she felt safe being around Jim.

Back at the steps leading up to Starfleet Medical, Chris watched as the two friends walk and he was relieved that Arianne had someone to turn to for now...but soon, that wouldn't be enough.

* * *

**Vulcan High Command Chambers - Shi'Kahr, Vulcan**

Fighting to remain in control of his emotions, Soval was silent as two Vulcan guards led him before a high table where Sarek and other members of the High Command sat silently.

"Soval, have you anything to say?" Sarek asked as Soval gazed up at the High Command.

Soval remained silent for a moment, "I request that I be permitted to see the evidence gathered against me," he stated tonelessly. "This detainment of my person is unwarranted and illogical."

"Your actions have warranted Starfleet to request your extradition to Earth to face criminal charges and a trial," Sarek stated. "Furthermore, you are guilty of attempting to inflict physical harm on the young refugee known as Serij for the purpose of destroying his peaceful work."

Realizing that T'Pol and Jeris had conspired against him, Soval was silent and watched as the members of the Vulcan High Command converse amongst each other expressionlessly.

"I request to know the location of young Serij," Soval stated. "It is my right."

Sarek suddenly rose from his chair and without a word, he left the council chambers; the others took no heed of this and instead focused their attention on the criminal standing before them.

"As of this moment, you have no rights and are considered a criminal offender," another Vulcan, known to others as Samil, stated. "You shall be detained in solitary confinement for now."

Soval remained expressionless and silent as the guards led him quickly from the council chambers; the council silently exchanged looks of contemplation amongst each other.

"Admiral Archer must be contacted to arrange a date for the trial on Earth," Samil stated, his toneless voice clear in what must be done. "We also require a statement from Serij."

There was a momentary silence, "When Doctor T'Pan declares Serij is in fit enough of a physical condition for questioning, we shall," Samil declared. "For now, he will recover in Sarek's home."

Understanding the meeting to be adjourned, the remaining members of the council got up and filed from the room in silence, unaware that Soval had faintly overheard the conversation.

* * *

**House of Sarek - Vulcan**

_Jeris, you are doing well._

_Captain Nero, my mind and body grow weary of fraternizing with these Vulcans and being forced to endure the culture which I am now immersed in...Soval attacked me out of rage, which I did not think Vulcans were capable of...I am in pain beyond my comprehension..._

_I know, Jeris...I felt it...every bit of it...yet I have kept my vow of silence._

_Forgive me, Nero...I remember that you are suffering so much greater than I am._

_All is forgiven, Jeris...I will contact you again when the time has arrived..._

As Jeris felt Nero's presence leave his mind, he opened the one eye that had not been swollen shut from Soval's attack; he was alone in the guest quarters of Sarek's family home.

The door suddenly slid open and Amanda entered the room, followed by a Vulcan attendant who carried a tray containing a bowl of pleomeek soup and a mug of steaming liquid. Jeris watched as the attendant carried the tray to the bedside table and lingered, as if expecting instruction.

Jeris felt his left fingers automatically lift and then suddenly remembering that his entire left arm was enclosed in a metallic device that was holding it in place until it healed; Soval had not only pulled it from its socket, he had also broken it into several pieces, used his face for a punching bag, cracked several of his ribs, and left him with several undesirable bruises and bad cuts.

Physicians at the Vulcan Medical Institute had done what they could for him; they had eliminated the cuts and bruises with a dermal regenerator, they had set his ribs, and they had put his arm in a metallic traction device until it was healed; however, they could do nothing for his swollen eye.

"Young Serij, how are you feeling tonight?" Amanda asked in a gentle tone, her heart going out to the young student who had suffered a devestating attack. "I figured you might like some food."

Jeris nodded; no doubt Soval would be sent back to Earth for a hearing on Starfleet properties and he would then have another chance to complete his task. Although the information gathered from Pike and McCoy had been intriguing, T'Pol wanted more information on Pike specifically.

It was if that meeting last November had triggered something in T'Pol's long memory; the Vulcan had repeatedly demanded another meeting with the one known as Arianne Christine Pike, as to her, something didn't seem right about the one who had been adopted by Chris Pike long ago.

James Kirk had served as a challenge during their first encounter, so T'Pol wanted another meeting with him so that she could leave him some reminders on how not to mess with greater authority.

"Forgive my silence, Lady Grayson," Jeris stated, suddenly noticing that Amanda and the attendant were watching him with looks of concern. "I was lost in thought for a moment."

Amanda nodded, a look of understanding on her face; no doubt Serij was contemplating the work he had lost when Soval had attacked him and destroyed his private lab...it was years of research lost.

"T'Marta will help you to eat and ensure that you are comfortable," Amanda replied, her tone full of compassion over the fact that he had lost not only his family, he had lost most of his work too.

Pretending to look as if he were still slightly in shock and overwhelmed at the tragedies that had recently befalled him, Jeris managed a nod and turned his gaze towards the ceiling.

Biting her lip, Amanda sighed and silently left the room, her heart going out to the young half-Vulcan who had suffered many personal losses; she hoped he would be able to find peace.

A short way down the hallway, Amanda was perplexed to find Sarek lingering there, a thoughtful expression on his face. Smiling, she pressed two fingers against the two that he offered to her.

"My wife, I was engaged in listening at Soval's hearing when I was suddenly overcome with a thought that all is not well in Arianne Pike's life at the current time," Sarek stated as the two began descending a flight of stairs to a lower level of their home. "Cadet Kirk knows this and it became apparent to me when I melded with him to save his life four Earth months ago in San Francisco."

Amanda was quiet for a moment as they reached the bottom of the stairwell, "What do you propose to do about this situation with Arianne, Sarek?" she asked, her voice full of concern for the young lady whom both Sarek and herself looked upon as the daughter they had never had.

"Amanda, you knew her when she was at a younger age, so I am leaving this matter entirely in your hands," Sarek replied in a monotone voice. "Perhaps it would be prudent for you to contact Captain Pike and ascertain his thoughts on his daughter's current state...he may be able to provide help."

Amanda nodded, "I had been considering that since November, but I don't wish to do anything behind Arianne's back," she stated softly as the two walked through the lower level hallway and out on to the balcony of their home. "Maybe I could talk Spock into approaching her next semester when she will be in his xenolingustics class...I just worry about her during the summer months."

"Perhaps when we visit Earth again as part of my Ambassadorial duties, you will have a chance to speak with Spock about the matter," Sarek stated. "I am required to be a part of the hearing board during Soval's trial within the Starfleet properties and it will occur during the Earth month of July."

Resisting the urge to express joy about having the chance to provide help to Arianne yet again, Amanda nodded and lingered beside her husband in silence. As they watched the Vulcan day slowly descend into night, their fingers touched intimately and remained frozen in that position.

* * *

**Starfleet Academy - Sickbay Simulation Room - April 2256**

"Oh, crap, I missed the vein again," Arianne hissed, tears of frustration pooling in her eyes as she hovered over the medical simulation bed where Jim lay with his arm out and sleeve rolled up.

Letting out a sigh, Jim sat up and gently patted her shoulder, "You have until May to get all that basic medical stuff down pat," he said in a gentle voice. "Besides, you've done some of it before."

Arianne sighed and sat down on the biobed next to him, "Jim, I took basic medical care according to civilian standards," she replied softly. "Starfleet medicine is completely different and I'm taking it in the summer so that I'll have a fallback in case I can't get a posting in the Command Track-"

"-Because of your disabilities, right?" Jim asked, giving Arianne a knowing look. "Captain Pike is your dad and he wouldn't set you up to fail. Both he and I think you'll be good in a command role."

Biting her lip, Arianne hopped off the biobed, "Yeah, but besides you, my father, Doctor Phlox, and Doctor Puri, nobody else knows that I have those issues," she stated, gazing at him. "If everyone else on campus finds out about them...well...let's just say that I'll be the unwanted-"

"Don't even say it," Jim stated, holding up a hand to cut her off. "I don't want to hear it and you shouldn't think of yourself like that. You are a wonderful person and anyone who doesn't think so and chooses to treat you like crap is...well...let's just say that they aren't worth your time."

Arianne was silent, causing Jim to sigh, "Okay, so hooking up driplines isn't your strength yet," he said, hoping to draw her into another conversation. "Do you wanna try the medical tricorder?"

Remaining silent, Arianne nodded and grabbed the medical tricorder off the tray of tools that she and Jim had set up at the beginning of their time in the sim room. Jim lay back down on the biobed and closed his eyes so that Arianne could practice treating an 'unconscious' person.

"Okay, assess the patient," Arianne murmured as she activated the medical tricorder and slowly scanned Jim with it. "Next, the ABC's...Airway, Breathing, Circulation."

Unaware that she was being watched by Leonard, who had been released from Sickbay two days ago and had come to practice his medical skills for the upcoming practical final exams, Arianne carefully checked Jim's airway. She then placed her head on Jim's chest to check his breathing.

For a few moments, she listened and then Jim suddenly began to giggle, "Your hair is tickling my face," he said, opening his eyes as Arianne stood up and gave him a dirty look. "Can you put it up in a scrunchie or something and we can start again? I'm sorry for not being a very good patient."

Nodding, Arianne pulled a scrunchie out of the pocket of her cadet jacket and quickly pulled her hair into a tight bun that sat on the top of her head. Her eyes widened as she suddenly noticed Leonard lingering by the door in his cadet reds with his arms crossed and his med-kit in hand.

"For the record, Jim, you're a lousy patient," Leonard commented as he moved over to where Jim was laying on the biobed. "What are you two doing in here anyway? This is a sickbay simulation room for Medical students and last I checked, you two were in the Command track."

Jim sat up and opened his mouth to reply, but Arianne beat him to it, "You're right, what am I doing here trying to do something meaningful with my life since I can't have what women my age are supposed to be dreaming of?" she snapped, unable to control her frustration any longer.

Leonard's eyes widened in shock, "I have finals to study for in the track that will probably put me at a desk for the rest of my life," Arianne snapped at Leonard before giving Jim an apologetic look that he knew was her expressing hurt feelings. "I'll see you later at the library, okay Jim?"

Jim nodded and watched as Arianne dropped the tricorder on the medical tray and left the room at a speedwalk, "Bones, you really have to work on your beside manner," Jim commented, his tone full of irritation that Arianne was upset. "It's good to see you're feeling better, by the way."

Leonard scowled, "Don't even start with me, Jim," he snapped. "You didn't come by to see me get released from Starfleet Medical two days ago and I get back to the dorm only to find out that your stuff is all gone. I heard from Cadet Uhura that you're boarding with Admiral Archer now."

Jim sighed and began packing up the medical tray, "Well, it was at Captain Pike's insistence after I got the crap beaten out of me by some of your buddies a few months ago," he replied in a cool tone that was very unlike him. "I've been working as Archer's TA and he gave me a place to live."

"I heard from Doctor Puri that six medical cadets had been expelled, but he didn't tell me anything else," Leonard stated, recalling a conversation he had shared with Dr. Puri while being confined to the patient bay at Starfleet Medical. "I thought the grounds had better security, honestly-"

Jim glared at him, "I wasn't attacked on the grounds, Bones, they showed up at the dorm and they beat the crap out of me and could have killed Doctor Phlox!" he yelled, his frustration about his friend's inability to show compassion coming out in his angry voice. "They dislocated my left shoulder, broke some of my ribs, and busted my jaw all because they thought I had something to do with your disappearance from campus! This is what I get for being a friend to you and you can't even say thank you, let alone show some compassion towards the one who shared your captivity!"

Too shocked to say anything, Leonard made to turn away, but Jim grabbed his shoulder, "I'm not your ex-wife who hurt you, so you better stand there and listen to what I have to say," Jim snapped, his eyes blazing fury. "It killed me when you and Arianne were kidnapped, as you two are the only friends I have on this entire planet! When I see that you have this horrible tendency to make her feel uncomfortable around you and everyone else, it kills me...it really does..and you don't even care."

"Jim, I-" Leonard began, stunned when Jim raised a hand to shut him up.

Jim sighed and stopped packing up the medical tray, "I'm not exactly a wanted creature myself around here, Bones," he stated angrily. "I can't deal with the thought of not being able to have both of you as my friend because you two can't get along worth anything. You may see her as the spoiled brat daughter of Captain Pike, but I don't and never will see her that way."

Leonard scoffed, causing Jim to hit him in the jaw, "If you'll excuse me, I have to go do some damage control and study for finals," Jim stated cooly. "Maybe you'd better take some time to think about if you really want true friends in this world and if you even want to be here at all."

Without waiting for a reply, Jim left the room, leaving Leonard alone with his shock and thoughts.

* * *

**Two Weeks Later**

**Starfleet Medical - 800 H**

The door slid open and Dr. Puri entered the room with a stylus in his hand and looked at Arianne, who was seated on the exam table dressed in a patient gown. He noticed that Cadet Kirk was sitting on a stool beside the exam table, his hand and Arianne's tightly locked together.

"Okay, so it's progressed to between stage two and three," Dr. Puri stated in a grave tone as he took a seat on the stool across from the exam table. "The scan I took a few hours ago showed cysts and at this point, there are two options...both of them with risks."

Arianne nodded and gave Jim's hand a squeeze, "You can either have a total hysterectomy which will eliminate your chances of childbearing someday," Dr. Puro explained calmly. "Your second option is to undergo surgery to deal with the cysts directly."

"I don't like either option, I want to have children someday," Arianne stated, irritation in her tired voice. "Besides, I am taking medical classes during the summer semester and I want to be well."

Dr. Puri sighed, "I can put you on some progesterone," he replied. "However, I do have to warn you that the medication can have numerous side affects that may negatively impact your health."

"Arianne, this sounds dangerous," Jim spoke up in a concerned tone. "Maybe you should consider the surgery and not risk side effects from medications. Who knows what it could do to you?"

Arianne sighed, "I just want to try the progesterone for a little while, Jim," she replied in a gentle tone. "If it doesn't work or if the side effects are too severe, I'll consider other options."

Jim nodded, "I'll support you through this," he replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "Okay?"

Arianne nodded and looked back at Dr. Puri, "I'll provide you with enough pills to get through the next few months and I want to see you again in the fall, before term starts," Dr. Puri stated in a no-nonsense tone as he made some notes on the stylus. "Take them once a day and log any side effects that you might experience. You're still living in your father's house on campus, right?"

Arianne nodded, "If it's all right with you, I'll send him a copy of the prescription and advise him to keep an eye on you when possible," Dr. Puri stated. "Cadet Kirk, since I know that you hang around Ensign Pike a great deal, log whatever side effects that you might observe her having."

Jim nodded, causing Dr. Puri to crack a smile, "Good," he replied. "I'll send this prescription to the Academy pharmacy and you can pick it up after your Bridge qualification simulation this afternoon...Now, Cadet Kirk, I hope I don't need to remind you about confidentiality rules-"

"I'm not telling anyone about my best friend's personal business," Jim replied in a reassuring tone, not caring that he had just interrupted. "Arianne, are you gonna be okay for the Bridge qual?"

Arianne nodded and stood up, "I'll be fine as long as there's no stress," she replied. "Doctor Puri, is it all right if I go and change back into my reds now? The Bridge qual is in two hours."

Dr. Puri nodded and, releasing Jim's hand, Arianne quickly moved into the fresher where her reds were hung on hooks and her boots were on the floor, "Cadet Kirk, now that I have you alone, I'd like to ask when you're planning on scheduling your first psych evaluation for," Dr. Puri stated in a cool, yet very concerned tone. "I know that Captain Pike has told you this repeatedly, but you do need that evaulation done before July, otherwise you won't progress to the second year."

Jim sighed, "I don't want to talk about Tarsus ever again," he stated. "If I absolutely HAVE to, however, I would rather talk about it with people who were there and experienced it..."

"You know that's not how a psych evaluation works," Dr. Puri replied in a quiet voice. suddenly shutting up as Arianne came back into the room dressed in her uniform with her hair done up.

Plastering a grin on his face, Jim rose, "You ready to do this?" he asked in a kind tone.

"I just want to get it done," Arianne replied. "Thanks for the appointment, Doctor Puri."

Dr. Puri nodded and watched as Jim and Arianne left the room together; he was immensely relieved when she had come to the appointment with a friend, as NOBODY should have to do them alone.

* * *

**Starfleet Academy - Bridge Simulation Room**

Taking a seat in the command chair, Arianne picked up the stack of PADD's full of mock systems reports that had been provided for her to "review" before the simulation got underway. She had changed into the uniform that all student testers were required to wear and sighed.

"Status?" Arianne asked, quickly skimming the PADD's and gazing around at her "Bridge crew" with what she hoped was a stern expression; even though the others were her fellow cadets, Arianne knew that they were being watched from the observation area by Academy instructors and she had to appear like she knew and was comfortable in a command role, even if she wasn't.

"Helm is fully operational, Captain," Jim replied in an encouraging tone.

From her communication terminal, Cadet Uhura let out a sigh, "All internal and external sensors are functioning normally and subspace chatter is at a minimum," she replied.

The door suddenly opened and Arianne turned, only to see a pale Leonard come on to the Bridge dressed in a similar uniform and with a med-kit under his arm.

Ignoring the bewildered stares he was getting from the other cadets, Leonard moved over to a station and setting the med-kit on the floor, he silently took a seat and logged into the console.

_Oh man. _Arianne thought as she noticed the dark circles under his eyes. _He looks like absolute crap and this is the first time I've seen him in two weeks...I hope he hasn't fallen off the wagon._

Swallowing hard, Arianne turned his gaze away from Leonard and stared straight ahead; even if she was concerned for his well-being, she was neither his counselor nor his friend and was very busy.

Besides, if Doctor McCoy had fallen off the wagon, it wasn't her place to administer judgment or consequences; her only job was to do this qualifying exam and do it to the best of her ability.

* * *

**Cadet Dorms - 1200 H**

Ignoring the pounding of his heart in his ears, Leonard used the box-cutter he had replicated to rip the last of the alcohol-stained carpet from the floor; he had come so close to screwing up.

After the fight where Jim had punched him and left, Leonard had taken himself off campus as fast as he could and took a hovercab to a civlian liquor store in the more seedier part of the city. He had bought as much alcohol as he could afford to put on his credit card and brought it back to his dorm.

_For hours, he had stared at the six-packs and bottles he had bought, heavily tempted to just drink himself into a deep sleep that he would never wake from; life was too hard to handle anymore._

_Suddenly realizing that he couldn't turn to alcohol to solve his problems and that he seriously needed some psychological support, Leonard had dumped all the six-packs all over his floor and had thrown each bottle of alcohol at the wall; not caring that the liquor stained his furniture as they shattered into millions of pieces. He had then sat in the middle of it all and cried for hours._

_Upon pulling himself together, Leonard had gone straight to Admiral Archer's office and explained what he had almost done; he had surrendered his passcard and credit card, offering to drop out._

_Admiral Archer had been silent for several minutes and then had immediately called Captain Pike and Dr. Puri to join them in his office. When Captain Pike and Dr. Puri had arrived, Admiral Archer had explained the situation and told him that he wasn't going to be expelled from the Academy._

As he threw the carpet into the portable incinerator, Leonard remembered that he had gone to pieces in Admiral Archer's office that day, saying that he didn't want to be a useless drunk whose only friend was a bottle that couldn't talk back or make him feel good; he wanted to be a doctor, a friend, a mentor, someone who would be able to help others and help himself become better.

Captain Pike had then asked him what he had done with the liquor and Leonard confessed about throwing it all over his dorm in a fit of anxiety. He remembered Captain Pike telling him to stay in the office with Dr. Puri while he and Admiral Archer went to assess the damage done to the dorm.

Dr. Puri had then quietly given him the location of a civilian AA group that met three times a week in the same area as the liquor store and was run by a man named Mark Piper, who was not only a doctor who had temporarily retired from Starfleet, he was also a man who had been sober 21 years.

Even though he had kept the card that Dr. Puri had given him, Leonard hadn't mustered the courage to attend one of the meetings yet despite having permission from Captain Pike to venture off campus for them; he had instead buried himself in studying, depriving himself of proper sleep.

Admiral Archer had also given him the additional task of cleaning up the mess he had made and making the dorm fit enough to live in again. Leonard had been carrying out the task with gusto.

It had aggravated him that Captain Pike had insisted on him being there for Arianne's Bridge qual exam, but he had done it to the best of his ability and had retreated when it was over. He just wanted to be alone with his thoughts and invest all of his energy into cleaning up his messes.

"Bones?"

Suddenly hearing a familiar voice, Leonard turned and saw Jim standing in the doorway still dressed in his exam clothes and carrying a grease-stained bag of what smelled to Leonard like fast food.

Neither cadet moved for a moment and then Jim slowly entered the room, "I figured you might be hungry after that exam, so I snuck to a MacDonald's about five blocks from campus and got you some chicken sandwiches," he said, extending the bag. "I also heard some rumors..."

"Yes, Jim, I did almost fall off the wagon and ended up decorating my dorm in hundreds of credits worth of alcohol when I destroyed the bottles and six-packs in a fit of anxiety," Leonard replied in a calm, yet tense voice. "I'm surprised that it took you this long to hear rumors about it."

Jim shrugged and put the bag of fast food on a counter that Leonard had recently scrubbed clean and re-painted, "So, you've been working yourself to death for the last two weeks then?" he asked.

"It's easier being buried in work then facing the fact that I'm nothing but a sadistic old man who hides behind his problems instead of moving on from them," Leonard replied curtly as he threw the last of the booze-stained carpet in the incinerator and watched it burn. "I've managed to clean up the walls pretty good and there's no smell of it anywhere in the dorm now.."

Jim watched for a moment as Leonard turned off the incinerator and stowed it near the door, most likely for Maintenance to pick up later, "So, Bones, I was wondering if you had a minute?" Jim asked, his voice suddenly quaking with the nervousness he felt in his entire body and mind.

"Yeah, what's on your mind?" Leonard asked, frowning at the nervousness he could suddenly hear in Jim's normally confident voice. "I don't have anywhere else I need to be today."

Jim swallowed hard, "I need to sneak off campus later tonight and get plastered at the grungiest civilian bar that exists in San Francisco," he stated. "I need someone to come along with me."

"I've been sober since the middle of September and you want me to come with you to a bar?" Leonard asked, unsure if he had heard Jim's words correctly. "I've spent the last two weeks cleaning up my dorm and studying for finals and you want me to watch you get hammered?"

Jim nodded, "Arianne won't go with me to any bars off campus and she says that she won't be my designated sober-buddy until after finals," he replied. "I just really, really need some drinks..."

Leonard didn't reply for a moment; he was thinking about the card that Dr. Puri had given him and how he should maybe take Jim to an AA meeting off campus and help both of them out.

"Forget it, Bones," Jim scoffed as if he could read Leonard's mind. "I don't want a doctor's help with this anyway. I don't want to be thought of as an alcoholic...I just want a buzz to forget-"

Letting out a sigh of defeat, Jim started to leave the room, "Jim, hold up," Leonard said, resignation in his voice. "Come back here at about eight and I'll go with you...someone has to babysit you...Until then, I have to finish this and put all the furniture back."

"Thanks Bones," Jim crowed as grinned before quickly leaving the room. "Happy remodeling!"

Rolling his eyes, Leonard walked over to the counter and opened the fast food bag that Jim had considerately left behind. As he ate, he wondered what Jim wanted to forget so desperately.

* * *

**Club Amnesia - Mission District - San Francisco, California - 0100 H**

"Y'know, Bonesie, this stuff is strrrrong," Jim slurred as he pounded back another shot glass of burbon and then added the empty glass to the growing pile of shot glasses that were on the counter in front of where he sat. "I think...maybe it was...ten shots? I'm rrrreally not sure...it's fuzzy."

Leonard sighed and forcing himself to stay at the small table near the bar, he took a sip of the bottled water he had brought along for the evening so that he wouldn't be tempted to drink at all.

True to Jim's mood that day, they had ended up at one of the seediest bars in the Mission District, which was a decent distance from the Academy; it was good that it was Friday night, otherwise Security would have come after them, dragged them back to campus, and reamed on them by now.

It also helped that they were both in civilian attire, as the cadet reds would have made them stick out and easy targets for the civilian drunks that often roamed this area of the city at night.

"...That psych eval, I just can't shake it," Jim slurred as he motioned for the bartender to send him another shot of burbon. "...Puri's stupid for bugging me about it...it all happened a long time ago."

Leonard frowned, "What all happened a long time ago?" he asked, fingering his water glass.

"Tarsus, that manic Kodos and his plans," Jim slurred, quickly downing the shot that the bartender had reluctantly given him. "...Four thousand people, Bones...I should have died too..."

Jim suddenly let out a drunken sob and threw the shot glass at the wall, missing hitting the bartender by mere inches, "I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT PSYCH EVAL!" he howled in a slurred tone as tears rolled down his pale face. "Puri can take that psych eval and shove it right up his-"

"Jim, I think you've had enough," Leonard said as he rose from his chair and walked calmy over to where Jim was sitting hunched over, drooling on the counter. "I think it's time we left."

Ignoring the fact that the bartender was glaring at Jim, Leonard put his arms under Jim and helped his wasted friend stand up. Jim immediately tried to pull away, but Leonard wouldn't let go.

"This should cover his drinks," Leonard replied as he got some credit chips out of Jim's pants pocket and tossed them on the counter. "Come on, Jim, let's go find us a hovercab."

It didn't take them long to get outside, only to find the streets deserted, "Bones, lemme go," Jim suddenly slurred as he tried to pull away. "I need some bushes really, really badly."

Jim bolted out of Leonard's grip and quickly spewed his guts all over the bushes just outside the bar with some of it ending up on the building. Leonard rolled his eyes and gently patted Jim's back.

"I'll get you a hypospray when we get back to campus," Leonard promised as he grabbed hold of Jim and helped him walk to the sidewalk. "If you want to, you can crash in my dorm tonight."

Jim nodded and mumbled what sounded like a thank you, "No cabs around," Leonard said as he gazed up and down the streets. "Are you okay to walk back to campus? It's a little far..."

Before Jim could reply, loud sirens wailed and suddenly, a police hovercar pulled up to the curb in front of them and the manager of the bar suddenly appeared beside them with a scowl on his face.

"All right, you two, stay where you are," a stern voice said as a civilian police officer, dressed entirely in metallic blue clothing, stepped out of the squad car. "You are both under arrest."

Jim shrugged, but Leonard gazed at the officer in shock, "For what?" he asked, very concerned.

"Let's get you two to the station and I'll explain the charges there," the officer replied in a curt tone as he came over and slapped handcuffs on Jim's wrists. "The manager wants you both outta here."

The officer quickly sheperded Jim into the back of the squad car and returned. As Leonard felt himself being handcuffed, he silently prayed that this would all be over soon.

* * *

**Mission Precinct**

The clang of the door being shut was the worst thing that Leonard had ever heard in his life.

It hadn't taken the police long to bring them back to the station and place them in a holding cell to await processing and whatever charges that the manager of Amnesia was going to make.

"Bones, I think we're gonna get expelled," Jim spoke in a slurred tone as he groped the walls, trying to hold himself up as he tried to find the cot. "My vision's blurry...I can't find the cot."

Letting out a resigned sigh, Leonard forgot about the clanging sound and directed his energy towards directing Jim over to the padded cot in the corner of the cell and helping him to lie down.

"Pike's gonna kill us," Jim mumbled as he closed his eyes. "Everything's so bright in here."

Leonard sighed and watched as a guard came into the room, "Do you want your one phone call now?" the officer asked, raising an eyebrow at Jim laying on the bunk completely wasted.

Leonard was silent for a moment, as he didn't know who to call; after a moment of thinking, he realized that he could comm Arianne's private number that she had given him last September.

"Yeah, I have someone I can call," Leonard replied in a toneless voice, silently praying that Arianne would answer and that she wouldn't hang up on him immediately. "I don't have any money, though."

The officer responded by unlocking and opening the cell, "You don't need money, just don't cause any trouble that will add to the trouble you're already in." he replied as Leonard silently walked out of the cell. "The manager of Amnesia won't press charges, but you still need to be bailed out."

Leonard nodded and followed the officer down the hall to a communication terminal that was mounted on a wall near a door that, he assumed, led to the front area of the station.

With a sigh, Leonard tapped in Arianne's private number and waited, "This is Arianne Pike," Arianne's gentle voice suddenly replied. "I'm not available right now, so if you could please leave your name, number, and reason for calling and I will get back to you as soon as I am able."

Both annoyed and relieved that he wasn't able to talk to Arianne at the moment, Leonard left a polite message in which he explained the situation, the location of the station, and politely asked for her to either come or send someone to bail them out of jail; he had also asked for his medkit.

After ending the call, Leonard had allowed the officer to lead him back to the cell and remained silent as he was secured back inside the cell with Jim. He then leaned against the bars and watched as the officer left the cellblock; his mind was reeling and his body was tired.

Not wanting to move the now sleeping Jim from the cot, Leonard moved over to the corner of the cell that was farthest from the sink and toilet, but close enough to keep an eye on Jim for a while.

Sinking to the floor, Leonard leaned against his head against the concrete wall and slowly felt his eyelids begin to droop and his body was so tired from the day; he couldn't help how he felt.

The last thing Leonard heard before falling asleep was a low-pitched, drunken snort giggle from Jim.

* * *

**0400 H**

A loud clanging on the bars caused Leonard to open his eyes and see an officer lingering in front of the holding cell, "Wake your friend up," the officer ordered. "You both just made bail."

Ignoring the stiffness in his back and neck, Leonard slowly got to his feet and moved over to the cot where Jim was still asleep, "Jim, come on, we're getting bailed out," he said in a gentle tone as he shook Jim's shoulder. "I know you probably feel like crap, but you have to get up."

Jim blinked and opened his eyes, "I feel like I was run over," he mumbled in a groggy voice, wincing as he pulled himself into a sitting position. "Bones, I'm so stiff and I just want to keel over and die."

"I'll get you something for that once I have access to my medkit," Leonard promised as he helped Jim to stand and walk to the cell door where the guard was waiting to open it and let them out.

As the officer opened the door, Jim leaned against Leonard, "Bones, my legs are giving out," Jim mumbled groggily as they left the cell together. "Shouldn't have had a drinking blitz after all."

The officer led them through the cellblock and into the front area, where both Leonard and Jim were surprised to see Arianne dressed in civilian formal wear and standing next to a young Asian fellow who was dressed in similar civilian formal wear; Arianne didn't look happy to see them there.

"I'm sorry for not responding to your call right away," Arianne stated in a cool tone as she exchanged a look with the young Asian man. "I checked my messages as we were driving home from the event and-"

Jim stared at the man for a moment, "There is no need to stare at me," the man replied in a cool, slightly dismissive tone. "If you are curious, my name is Hikaru Sulu and I am at the top of my Flight class in Starfleet Academy, a class that I also happen to serve as a TA in."

"Look, I'm sure that your personal history is really very exciting," Leonard spoke in a gruff tone, cutting Hikaru off. "However, I would really like to get Jim back to my dorm and get him something for his hangover. Thank you very much for bailing us out, Arianne, but it's a long walk back."

Hikaru gave Leonard a look, "I will be able to drop you off at the edge of campus because Miss Pike requested it," he replied curtly. "She asked me to drop her there as well, as I have to report back to my parents about how the date went and then return to my own dorm room."

Jim nodded and directed his gaze to the ground as Hikaru and Arianne led him and Leonard out of the station and over to a fancy red hovercar that was parked at the curb. Leonard helped Jim into the backseat and dutifully got in next to him as Arianne joined Hikaru up front.

"As I drive at the speed limit, it should take about 45 minutes or longer to get back to the Starfleet Academy campus," Hikaru stated tonelessly as he manuevered the hovercar away from the curb and down the quiet street. "I must say, I have never been in this neighborhood before now..."

Leonard exchanged a look with Jim, who was focusing all his energy on trying not to throw up in Hikaru's fancy car. Arianne occasionally looked in a rearview mirror at them, but was quiet.

"If I may ask, Mr. Sulu, what kind of charity event were your parents holding?" Leonard asked, unable to take the awkward silence and Arianne's prolonged gazes any longer.

As Hikaru launched into a detailed explanation about the event that was for one of the many charities that his wealthy parents involved themselves in, Arianne leaned against the car door and sighed; she was tired from being out late and was also starting to feel side effects from the progesterone.

* * *

**Cadet Dorms - 0530**

Ignoring the headache that threatened to pound through her skull, Arianne slouched on the couch in Leonard's dorm and watched as Leonard tucked Jim into his bed to have a good night's rest.

After Hikaru had dropped them off at the curb, Arianne had helped Leonard walk Jim back to the dorm and had waited around to make sure that Jim would be okay.

Now, as she watched Leonard administer a hypospray to Jim from his medkit, all she wanted to do was go back to her house, drink a tall glass of water, and go to bed until noon the next day.

Dr. Puri had warned her about the side effects of taking the progesterone, but Arianne was so desperate for a chance to have children someday that she had gotten and taken the first dose right before the bridge qual; she was now regretting doing that and just wanted to sleep.

Swallowing hard, Arianne sat up and pretended that nothing was wrong as she watched Leonard repack the medkit and leave Jim to sleep in the bed, "Thank you so much for being a good friend to Jim," she said as she rose from the couch. "Anyway, I should get back to my house..."

"Let me walk you there, Jim will be fine for a few moments," Leonard offered, not wanting Arianne to walk across the darkened campus alone and risk being attacked again. "I insist upon it."

Arianne shook her head, "I'm fine, but thank you," she replied as she moved towards the door.

"It wouldn't be right to let you go by yourself," Leonard stated in a no-nonsense tone. "Where I come from, a true man does whatever he can to make sure that a lady is treated well."

_I bet a true man in your eyes also makes sure that a woman can bear him plenty of children and for that, he treats her like a queen. _Arianne thought as she silently left the dorm at a fast pace.

Deeply disturbed by Arianne's desire to not be around him, Leonard sank down on to the couch and watched Jim sleep; they would have the rest of the weekend to recover from their 'adventure'.

However, as Leonard slouched back and relaxed, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something about Arianne that was forcing her to act in such an irrational manner.

* * *

**Gateway Site - Vulcan**

Pulled out of her meditation by the sound of a shuttlecraft landing, T'Pol covered the sleeping Lorian with the blanket and stepped out of the makeshift shelter that she had constructed for this purpose.

The shuttle's boarding ramp lowered and a battered looking Soval exited the ramp with a strange looking stylus in his hand. He looked determined, which was abnormal for a Vulcan.

"I have recorded the data from Arianne Pike that you wanted," Soval stated tonelessly as he handed the stylus to T'Pol. "It is as you suspected, but you will need to consult the Gateway and also make a connection to her memories...after all of this time, she may have a mind block."

T'Pol took the stylus and tucked it under her arm, "I am part of the delegation travelling to Earth for your hearing on the Federation properties," she replied. "I will make the attempt at that time."

Soval huffed, "I managed to escape that holding cell temporarily, but it will not be long before I am found and placed in a higher security holding area," he stated. "It is only because you wished the information that I dared using my waning energy to travel out to this barren site at all."

"Depart and return to your holding cell," T'Pol ordered in an uncharacteristically firm tone. "I thank you for bringing me the information I requested. It will serve useful for what I am planning to do."

With a nod, Soval re-boarded the shuttle and within a matter of moments, he had departed, leaving T'Pol alone with only the sleeping Lorian in the shuttle for company; She had work to do.

Gripping the stylus, T'Pol moved over to the Gateway structure that towered nearby and took a deep breath to calm the anxieties that threatened to surface as she endeavoured to carry out her plan.

"Guardian of Forever, I wish to view the history of El Auria's interactions with Starfleet vessels," T'Pol stated as she prepared to take notes on the stylus. "Do you possess that specific data?"

There was silence for a moment, "A question," a booming voice suddenly replied. "History between the El-Aurian species and Starfleet has already been altered...it cannot be altered further."

"Show me," T'Pol replied, knowing that Arianne most likely had been a part of that alteration.

"I cannot show the events to you," the booming voice replied. "That information which you seek can only be found in the memories of those who assisted in the changes to history's normal flow."

With that the Guardian faded to a mere structure of stone and T'Pol scowled, fury in her eyes.

The next encounter with Arianne Pike would reveal all things and it would not fail...it could not fail.


	15. May 2256: Helpers Become The Helped

_**May 2256**_

_**Starfleet Academy**_

"Welcome to the Emergency Medical Course at Starfleet Academy," Dr. Puri stated as he paced back and forth in front of the small group of cadets who had chosen to pursue education over the summer instead of going on holidays. "This course will be fast paced as it runs from May to the end of August with only statutory holidays and weekends for breaks. It will be very, very tough."

From his seat in the back row, Jim snickered and looked at Arianne in the seat next to him, "I don't think it's really gonna be that hard," he whispered in her ear. "Puri's just messing around."

Arianne nodded, but her eyes remained focused on the front as Dr. Puri picked up a stylus from the teaching pulpit and handed it to a student in the front row, "This is to keep track of attendance and I want your real names," Dr. Puri stated cooly. "Unexcused tardiness will lose you marks."

There was a prolonged silence as a side door at the front of the classroom suddenly opened and Leonard came into the room dressed in black shoes, black pants, and a blue medical shirt with a stack of stylus shaped PADD's tucked under his arm. He walked over and stood next to Dr. Puri.

"Since the next few months will be divided into both classroom and practical work, I would now like to introduce my assistant for this class," Dr. Puri stated, shooting a glare at the snickering Jim in the back row. "Doctor McCoy may be a cadet, but he is currently ranked first in his class and was already a fully qualified MD when he became involved in Starfleet..."

Blocking out the rest of what Dr. Puri was saying, Arianne paled slightly, "Jim, I don't know if I can sit through this class," she whispered, swallowing hard. "I skipped my daily dose..."

"Cadet Kirk, is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" Dr. Puri suddenly asked in a stern tone as he gazed up to where Jim and Arianne were sitting.

Arianne blushed and gazed at the PADD on her desk, "Uh, no, sir," Jim replied in a mischievous tone, giving Leonard an impish glance. "I was just wondering when we're going to do some hands-on work."

"Before you get hands-on training, Cadet Kirk, you must first learn the theories," Dr. Puri replied, giving Jim an icy look as he turned his attention to Leonard. "Doctor McCoy will be in charge of administering the preliminary exams to all students, as there will be strenuous hands-on training that will require good physical health and stamina. Following the exams, the theory portion of the class will last until July."

Swallowing hard, Leonard looked at the stylus in his hand and began listing off the names of students to receive their exams first; Arianne wasn't surprised when she and Jim were near the top of the list.

"All right, those of you whose names were read, go to Starfleet Medical with Doctor McCoy right now and I'll email the first theory notes to you all by tonight," Dr. Puri stated in a monotone voice. "The rest of you will be emailed the notes and will be required to go to the library for some research homework."

Arianne sighed and rose from her seat, "Jim, I'm not doing this," she whispered, relieved to see that Leonard was preoccupied with the other students to notice them. "It's none of his business…"

"Bones doesn't have access to your file," Jim stated in a quiet voice as he rose from his seat and tucked his academic PADD into his jacket pocket. "You're being treated for it anyway, so you won't be flagged."

Letting out a quiet sigh of relief as she watched Leonard lead the rest of the students selected for exams through a side door at the front of the class, Arianne smiled and pocketed her academic PADD.

"Let's just get this over with and then go study in the library," Arianne said, giving Jim a brave smile.

* * *

**_Starfleet Medical_**

It only took two hours for the day to go from completely wonderful to one filled with intense fear.

_The walk to Starfleet Medical didn't take long, as Jim was eager to get it done so that he could do the required studying and then drag Arianne into town to be his sober buddy and keep him from fighting, as he had the unfortunate tendency to drink more than was good and then get into a fight with locals._

_Almost immediately after they had arrived, Leonard had appeared out of nowhere with two orderlies and the three of them had escorted him off to an exam room, ignoring his protests; Arianne had quietly taken a seat in the foyer and studied, hoping that her required physical exam would be forgotten about._

_Nearly an hour later, Jim had returned to the foyer in a slightly grouchy mood and several bruises on his neck that Arianne suspected were from the rough administration of hyposprays. At first, Arianne thought that Leonard had been fed up enough with Jim to go home and forget about any more exams, but her hopes were shattered when Leonard showed up in the foyer a few moments later ready to see her._

_After making Jim promise to wait for her, Arianne had reluctantly followed Leonard into a private exam room and had laid down on the biobed to be scanned; she was silent during both that and the scan that he had done with a medical tricorder, although he had not explained why the second scan took place._

_In silence, Leonard had compared the scans and then jotting something on a stylus, he had left the room in a hurry without so much as a backwards glance at her. Arianne had lay there, knowing that she had lied to Jim about her progesterone use; she hadn't taken any for a week because it made her feel sick._

Everything was suddenly cold and Arianne felt a gentle hand on her arm, "Ensign Pike, I'm gonna need you to wake up now," the soft Southern drawl that was Leonard's voice filtered into her ear.

Arianne opened her eyes and was embarrassed to realize that she had fallen asleep on the biobed in the exam room while waiting for Leonard to return, "What time is it?" she asked in a groggy voice as she sat up. "I was going to meet Jim in the library and take him off campus later tonight…"

"Ensign Pike, I'm afraid you're not going anywhere tonight," Leonard said in a solemn voice as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "The scans detected abnormal densities in your breasts…lumps."

Arianne swallowed hard, "Are they cancerous?" she asked, her voice full of fear.

"I don't know yet, but Doctor Puri and I are gonna operate and take some of the lumps out so we can see if they are cancerous," Leonard replied in a gentle tone. "A nurse is coming to take you to pre-op in a minute and it'll be a short surgery; you'll probably be back in a patient room by dinner time."

Fear filled Arianne's heart, "My father-," she began, worried that nobody would tell him about this.

"I know that your father was in Iowa, overseeing construction of the new flagship," Leonard replied in a tone that he hoped was calming. "He's in Doctor Puri's office right now, though, doing whatever work he can through videoconferencing. There's not enough time for him to see you before the biopsy."

Arianne nodded, "Someone needs to tell Jim what's going on," she said, her voice trembling.

"I took care of that just before I came in here," Leonard replied as the door slid open and a nurse came into the room carrying a patient gown. "I'll leave you in Nurse Chapel's hands and see you on the table."

Without another word, Leonard turned and left the room, leaving Arianne feeling uneasy.

"I hate when McCoy refers to me as Nurse Chapel in that tone of voice," Nurse Chapel said, smiling as she walked over to the bed and handed Arianne the gown. "I'm a second year student, but Doctor Puri insisted that nursing students work alongside the nurses during the summer term...Nurse Mora should be along shortly."

"I'm Arianne Pike," Arianne replied as she got off the bed and quickly removed her cadet uniform.

Nurse Chapel smiled, "Well, outside of the madhouse that is Starfleet Medical, I'm either known as Cadet Chapel or Christine," she stated as she took the clothes from Arianne and watched her put the gown on over her. "I'll just put these in the closet and help you do up the back of that gown."

Christine quickly hung the reds up in the closet and returned to Arianne's bedside, "If the lumps are cancerous, I don't want to have to leave the Academy," Arianne said in a small voice as Christine did up the back of the hospital gown. "I just feel very much alone right now and very scared."

Before Christine could reply, the door slid open and a nurse whom Arianne assumed was Nurse Mora entered the room carrying a med-kit, "All right, Ensign Pike, I've got strict orders to quickly prep you for surgery and get you into pre-op," Nurse Mora stated, relieved to see that Arianne was already in the hospital gown. "Nurse Chapel, help her lay down and I'll do the rest..."

As Christine helped her to lie back down, Arianne sighed; she was finally starting to feel comfortable with being in a double track at the Academy and was even beginning to consider going to cadet parties.

Now, the dreaded possibility of cancer seemed to bring all her inadequacies back to the surface and make her wonder if she was ever meant to be comfortable in life; maybe her life was meant to be horrible.

_I'm so scared. _Arianne thought as she stared at the ceiling in the pre-op area and ignored how cold and flimsy the gurney covering felt on the parts of her back barely covered by the loose gown. The pillow supporting her head was cold and barely fluffed; the whole situation was very overwhelming for her.

"...Honestly, Doctor Puri, you didn't do a good job of reviewing these scans," Arianne suddenly heard a gruff, yet very familiar voice snap from somewhere nearby. "...get Phlox in here...he's a better choice..."

Before she could react, Arianne felt the gurney being moved into the operating theatre, "Okay, Miss Pike, just move over to the operating bed please," the stringent voice of Nurse Mora stated. "Doctor Puri and Doctor McCoy have been temporarily delayed, but they'll be along shortly...just do as I ask, please."

Unnerved by this unexpected delay, Arianne swallowed hard and, rising, she silently moved from the gurney to the operating bed, "What happens if it's cancer?" she asked, gazing worriedly at Nurse Mora.

Nurse Mora clicked her tongue, "Now dear, don't worry about it," she replied smoothly. "Just lie down."

Arianne lay down and immediately, a surgical support frame rose up out of a side panel and covered her entire upper body, pinning her to the bed; she felt the top of her gown slide off her chest to her waist.

"All right, Puri decided to take a backseat on this one and Phlox is going to be assisting," Arianne heard Leonard say as a door slid open. "Put the patient under and get the area prepped…"

Panic flooded Arianne's mind and she suddenly whimpered, "I can't do this!" she shouted, her voice trembling as she struggled to move. "Tell everyone I'm sorry, but I really can't do this…"

"Nurse Mora, go see if Phlox is ready yet," Arianne suddenly heard Leonard say in a quieter tone.

Nurse Mora grumbled quietly, but left the room, "Okay, I'll be honest with you," Leonard said as he approached the bed and put himself in Arianne's direct line of vision. "I lied to you earlier."

Arianne must have looked confused, as Leonard sighed, "The lumps ARE cancerous and there are a lot of them in both breasts," he said in a grave tone. "My hope is that the cancer can be removed before it spreads to the rest of your body. Unfortunately, you probably will lose both breasts in surgery."

"Does anyone know?" Arianne asked in a fearful voice as she thought of the reactions her father and Jim would have upon knowing about it. "I'm not sure I want anyone else knowing right now."

Leonard sighed, "The only one other than me that knows is Phlox," he explained in an unusually gentle tone. "Now, I know you're scared, but you need to get put under so the surgery can start, okay?"

"If something goes wrong, a list of my stuff is under my bedroom pillow," Arianne replied in a soft voice that Leonard could hear was full of fear. "Make sure it gets to the people who are on the list..."

There were footsteps, "Nurse Mora's gonna give you a little medicine to relax you and then you'll be put under," Leonard stated, not wanting to discuss the fact that Arianne had mentioned a will. "Nurse Mora, if you could put her under, I'm gonna go dress and talk to Phlox...then we'll both come in."

Before Arianne could protest, she felt something being pressed against her neck that promptly let out a quiet hiss; a feeling of intense exhaustion promptly began to wear her body and mind down.

Arianne's vision began to blur and before she knew it, she had slipped into total darkness.

* * *

_**Chief Medical Office – Starfleet Medical – Three Hours Later**_

"Cancer?" Chris replied, his voice full of utter shock as he gazed at Dr. Puri, who sat behind his desk with his elbows resting on the counter and his fingers intertwined. "How is that even possible?"

Dr. Puri sighed and turned the computer screen so that Chris could see it, "As Doctor McCoy found in the scan, Arianne has been exposed to massive doses of radiation at some point in her life," Dr. Puri explained; being sure to repeat exactly what McCoy had told him after the surgery had been completed. "Any exposure to radiation can put a person at risk for cancer, even according to today's medicine."

Chris nodded, "If the surgery's over, why isn't Doctor McCoy in here explaining all of this to me?" he asked, slightly irritated about the young medical professional's absence. "This is very unusual."

"Look, Chris, I'm breaking confidentiality by even telling you about this," Dr. Puri confessed. "I know it's pretty much illegal, but I think it's important that you know…Arianne is your only child, after all."

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Chris glared at Dr. Puri, "I asked you a question," Chris hissed.

"McCoy's taking care of post-op stuff," Puri replied in a tired voice. "He's really good to have around."

Chris narrowed his eyes, "I heard you and McCoy had a disagreement over the diagnosis," he replied, having overheard McCoy shouting at Puri because the intercom had been on in Puri's office.

"Honestly, Chris, I had no idea that the problem was that severe until McCoy explained it," Dr. Puri replied in a voice full of awe. "For someone with aviaphobia, he sure knows a lot about effects of space radiation...I'd sure like to know how Arianne got exposed to that much radiation, though."

Before Chris, who had no answer to give, could reply, the intercom beeped, "...Doctor Puri, Captain Pike, I was wondering if you knew that Cadet Kirk is still hanging around Starfleet Medical," a timid voice spoke over the intercom. "...He's been sitting there most of the day...should I tell him to leave?"

Suddenly, the doorbell chimed, "Come in," Dr. Puri replied, letting out an annoyed sigh as he stood up.

The door slid open and Jim entered, "Look, I know it's not my business, but is Arianne okay?" he asked, the fact that he was both very tired and worried obvious in his eyes and voice.

Dr. Puri and Chris exchanged a look, "Arianne will be okay, Jim," Chris replied gently as he stood and walked over to where Jim stood. "If it's okay with Doctor Puri, maybe we can walk by the post-op area on our way out? If you saw that Arianne was okay, would you be willing to go back to your dorm?"

Jim gazed at Dr. Puri a moment before looking back at Chris and nodding, "All right then, we'll go," Chris replied gently. "After we see that Arianne is okay, I'm going to walk you back to your dorm."

Fighting the urge to bawl Chris out for allowing this disruption to take place, Dr. Puri walked over to them and gestured out the door. Giving Jim a reassuring look, Chris shepherded Jim out into the hallway.

* * *

"...It's going fine, Doctor Phlox...Just using the time to mark some papers for Doctor Puri..."

"...Be sure to get some rest before class tomorrow...Doctor Puri needs you alert..."

Nausea was the first thing that Arianne felt as the familiar voices of Phlox and Leonard filled her ears.

Sudden pain shot through Arianne's body as she opened her eyes and found that she was lying on her back, staring at the plain white ceiling that she recognized to be of the surgical recovery ward.

"I'm gonna puke," Arianne moaned, surprised by how weak she sounded. "Someone help."

Fighting the urge to swear, Leonard turned from the computer console he was working on just in time to see Arianne slowly sit up, turn her head, and puke clear liquid all over the floor. Nearby, Phlox winced.

"My chest," Arianne whispered as she placed a shaking hand on her chest. "Hurts so bad..."

Phlox quickly moved over to the bed, "Just lie back down, Arianne," he said gently as he eased Arianne back down on to the bed. "Doctor McCoy, I believe a wet facecloth would provide some relief."

Nodding, Leonard quickly replicated a small bowl of water and a cloth. He then brought it over to Arianne's bedside and set it on one of the metal portable tables within Phlox's reach.

"There now, just relax," Phlox said in a calm tone as he gently cleaned Arianne's face. "Better?"

Arianne sighed, "I'm so sleepy," she replied in a faint voice. "How did the surgery go?"

Leonard flinched, "Um, Ensign Pike, maybe you'd better rest awhile first," he said, hoping that he wouldn't have to tell her about the total mastectomy just then. "You've still got anaesthetic in your system."

"Cut the crap and tell me how the surgery went," Arianne replied in a weak, but very sharp tone.

Phlox gave Leonard a reassuring smile as he suddenly noticed Jim, Chris, and Dr. Puri walk into the viewing area of the recovery ward, "I think Doctor McCoy can take it from here," he replied gently.

"Thanks Doctor Phlox," Arianne replied groggily. "Don't work too hard, okay?"

As Phlox left the room, Leonard sighed and sat down on the stool next to the bed so that Arianne could see him without having to move, "The cancer was spread throughout both of your breasts," Leonard gently explained. "I had no choice but to remove your breasts and supporting chest muscles."

Arianne was silent for a moment, "Did the cancer spread further?" she asked, deeply concerned.

"Fortunately, no," Leonard replied softly. "You're cancer free, but you'll be tired and sore for a while."

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne let her hand drop to her side, "I'm so tired," she stated, fighting a yawn.

"Just sleep for a while," Leonard suggested. "When you wake up again, you'll most likely be in a private room. Doctor Puri wants you to stay in the hospital for a few days so you can regain your strength."

Too exhausted to argue, Arianne mumbled something incoherent and promptly fell back asleep.

Leonard sighed and allowing Arianne to sleep, he sat back on the stool and continued marking the assignments for Dr. Puri's class the next day, fully unaware that he was being watched very closely.

* * *

While Phlox walked Jim back to the safety of the cadet dorms, Chris and Dr. Puri lingered at the window providing a view into the recovery area; with McCoy occupied, now was a good time to discuss the future.

"...Academy Command wants to meet with Cadet McCoy in July concerning his unsupervised surgery in December and continued confrontational attitude," Dr. Puri stated as he checked his PADD and gazed at Chris. "I'm really worried that he fell off the wagon since he won't follow my recommendations..."

Chris sighed, "McCoy is a good doctor and has the potential to be a wonderful Starfleet officer," he replied in a cool tone. "If he's asked to leave the Academy over minor infractions, it would be a waste of potential and I've thoroughly researched McCoy's background; he doesn't have anything else but Starfleet."

"Leonard McCoy is NOTHING like David was!" Doctor Puri argued in a slightly raised voice. "He's the exact opposite and he may be the top of his class, but his attitude and the way he carries himself-"

Relieved that the walls were soundproof and the intercom was off, Chris fought to keep his cool, "Might I also remind you, Doctor Puri, that Doctor Leonard McCoy was responsible for saving my daughter's life?" he said in a 'don't mess with me' tone. "He also saved Cadet Kirk's life back in December as you recall."

Dr. Puri flushed a deep red, but said nothing, "Yes, I agree that Leonard needs more counselling and possibly some sensitivity training as well," Chris hissed. "However, tossing a skilled doctor and potentially exemplary cadet out of the Academy over simple attitude issues is not the answer...it really isn't right."

"It's late, we can discuss this later," Dr. Puri stated in a resigned voice. "Before the meeting next month, recommendations have to be made by everyone apprised of Cadet McCoy's progress in an official capacity...I know Arianne's just had surgery, so I'll try and find a way to keep her out of this.."

Chris nodded and Dr. Puri let out a yawn, "Anyway, Chris, we'll talk later," he said. "Get some rest."

As Dr. Puri walked off, Chris turned back to the window and watched the silent scene before him continue to play out; Leonard worked quietly on several PADD's while Arianne continued to sleep peacefully.

In this case, the helped truly had become the helper and the counselor was now in need of care.

* * *

_**Two Days Later**_

_**Starfleet Medical – Patient Room – Late Afternoon**_

"Jim, let's take a break for a minute," Arianne stated in a tired voice as she sat down on the unmade hospital bed and lifted her slipper-clad feet and sweatpant clad legs on to the bed. "I'm tired."

Jim nodded and sat on the edge of the bed as Arianne placed a hand on the button-up shirt that covered the heavy bandages on her upper chest, "I'm so glad Doctor McCoy's not here to shout at me for not staying in bed," Arianne said with a sigh. "He doesn't get that moving around helps me feel better."

"Bones is just being Bones," Jim replied as he grabbed the blanket and recovered Arianne's legs. "He doesn't know that I skipped Puri's class today to hang out with you. Admiral Archer's off buried in meetings right now, so I have his place to myself...Porthos is with him, so I'm kinda scot free."

Arianne sighed and grabbed Jim's hand, "My dad's probably off at the same meetings," she replied as she pulled the blanket up her waist with her other hand. "Jim, I need you to be honest with me for a sec."

Jim looked at Arianne and nodded, "My father told me that Doctor McCoy is facing an inquiry board about whether or not he's going to be allowed to remain at the Academy," she stated. "I know that Leonard can be impulsive, brash, and very stubborn, but I don't think he should be expelled...how can I help him?"

"Bones is very stubborn, he won't even let ME help him," Jim replied. "He won't even talk to me about becoming roommates again and he barely wants to hang out anymore. Most of the time, he's either doing work for Doctor Puri, studying in the library, or just wanting to be alone...I'm kind of worried about him."

Arianne sighed, "Leonard's a grown man and capable of living the way he wants to," she replied, a slight yawn in her voice. "Jim, I think those laps around the hospital room wore me out...I need a nap."

"I can stay here until someone else comes if you want," Jim replied as he turned and looked at the mess of PADD's on the portable table in the corner. "I see that you haven't been short on visitors."

As she lay back and let her body relax, Arianne sighed, "Those are notes from Doctor Puri's class that Doctor Puri dropped off yesterday," she said in a sleepy voice. "I don't want many people knowing I'm recovering from a cancer-related surgery, Jim; it's too embarrassing to talk about in the open."

Jim sighed, "You're brave for even having to deal with this," he replied. "I'll help you with the notes later."

There was silence, so Jim turned and saw that Arianne had fallen asleep; she looked so peaceful.

For a moment, Jim silently watched Arianne sleep and was so scared to move or make any noise that he didn't hear the door slide open behind him; he jumped at suddenly feeling a hand on his shoulder.

"Bones, I thought you had class," Jim whispered as he gently released Arianne's hand and stood up.

Leonard folded his arms across his chest, "I thought you did too," he replied cooly. "You blew it off, I see."

"Arianne's like my sister, Bones," Jim stated. "I'm not going to leave her to deal with this by herself."

Scowling, Leonard gave Jim a shove towards the door, "Okay, well, Ensign Pike is a patient and obviously needs her rest," Leonard hissed. "Go catch up on the class you missed."

Jim, however, remained standing there, "Are you preparing for that meeting with the execution board you have in July?" he asked, a tone of concern in his voice. "You can't just pretend that it's not happening."

"Both Doctor Phlox and Captain Pike told me not to worry about it right now," Leonard replied in a standoffish tone. "They said just to concentrate on my TA work for Doctor Puri and my work here...Archer and Puri are out to get me, I think."

Unable to think of a reply, Jim nodded, which prompted Leonard to frown and silently leave the room; it was a time of high stress and Leonard knew that if he didn't find an outlet soon, he'd fall off the wagon.

Jim sighed and moving back over to the bed, he sat down and took Arianne's hand in his...pure peace and quiet.

* * *

**_Golden Gate Park – Early Evening_**

After ditching his cadet uniform at the dorm, Leonard found himself walking through Golden Gate Park in civilian jeans, boots, a dark t-shirt, and a jean jacket while thinking about his uncertain future.

Admiral Archer had promised that his future was secure, but Leonard knew that Doctor Puri had most likely brought the whole unsupervised surgery up again and got Archer's support to hold the meeting; Leonard knew that he shouldn't have done such a surgery without authorization, but Jim's life had been on the line and there were honestly no regrets.

"Leonard McCoy?" a voice suddenly said as Leonard found himself straying from the footpath.

Leonard looked up and saw an aged man lingering near a tree in scrub pants, a sweater, and boots; the man's face was kind and a small badge that read "Mark Piper, M.D." was clipped to his breast pocket.

For a moment, Leonard was silent and then he swallowed hard, "Hello, my name is Leonard McCoy and I need some help," he said in a toneless voice as he gazed at Dr. Piper. "I can't do this alone anymore."

Dr. Piper nodded and extended his hand, "Doctor Puri told me who you were and I looked you up in the Academy files," he explained as he and Leonard shook hands. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Leonard was silent, "Okay, why don't we go for a walk and then I can tell you what kind of a helper I am?" Dr. Piper suggested, gesturing across the park. "Then you can decide if you actually WANT my help."

Swallowing what little pride he had left, Leonard nodded and silently walked in-step with Dr. Piper as they moved across the grass; whatever happened with Starfleet, Leonard knew he needed help with himself.

As much as he wanted to ask Arianne for help, Leonard reflected as he struggled to concentrate on what Dr. Piper was saying, he knew that she was recovering and that it was best not to stress her out.

Besides, Leonard knew that nobody could help him until he learned to love himself enough to accept the love that others were offering him; he was a messed up individual with a broken past and a shaky future.

Maybe...maybe once he got to the root of himself, maybe other help would be welcome.

Little did Leonard know, however, that stubbornness and love would be the key to reaching inside and outside of himself; the future would be something he would have never thought possible...ever again.


	16. June 2256: Preparing For The Storms

_**June 2256 - 1100**_

Starfleet Academy Library

"Bones!"

Ignoring the voice that he recognized to be Jim's, Leonard put earbuds in his ears and focused his attention on the audio notes that Dr. Puri had ordered him to transcribe for the next lecture; he had to listen to the descriptions of field surgery from war times and write them out as study notes.

As he began to transcribe the first of many tapes that sat before him, Leonard felt the headphones being yanked from his ears; "You infant," Leonard growled as he shut the recorder off and turned to face Jim.

"Come ON, Bones, Arianne is getting out of the hospital today!" Jim said, his eyes sparkling eagerly as he grinned at his friend. "I thought she'd be getting out after a week, but then she got sick…."

Leonard fought the urge to roll his eyes; Arianne had ended up sick because she had overdid it too soon after her surgery and her body wasn't ready for that…she had ended up with pneumonia as a result.

Captain Pike had then intervened; he had basically ordered his daughter to take it easy for the rest of her stay at Starfleet Medical and had given her plenty to read and do while she rested in bed.

"So go and help Captain Pike take her home," Leonard said aloofly. "I have work to do."

Jim gave Leonard a lost puppy face, "You helped her too, so come on," Jim argued in a whiny voice.

"Jim, go away," Leonard replied frostily, giving Jim a glare. "I have a lot of work to do here."

Looking extremely hurt, Jim nodded and silently walked away. Leonard sighed, annoyed with how his gruff exterior seemed to hurt everyone; he couldn't help it, though, Dr. Puri needed the notes.

Leonard sighed; irritability and problems sleeping were sure-fire symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his time as a hostage; he had never told anyone about it in detail…anyone.

Dr. Piper had asked him about it during their weekly chat the other day, Leonard remembered as he returned the earbuds to his ears, but Leonard had dodged the question and again asked about AA meetings; not that he'd ever set foot in one by himself, but he was curious about how they worked.

Leonard sighed; he didn't need the help of Dr. Piper or AA; he just needed to keep himself busy.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical**_

"What do you mean she's not here anymore?" Jim asked, gaping at Dr. Puri from across the CMO's desk.

Dr. Puri sighed and took a quick swig of coffee, "Ensign Pike went home with Captain Pike around 0500 because she didn't want any fanfare," he explained patiently. "She doesn't want to be seen as a hero."

Jim looked stunned for a moment and then collected himself, "Did Captain Pike say whether or not Arianne would want visitors?" he asked, wanting to skip class and visit Arianne. "I miss her."

"I gather that Ensign Pike would want you to stay on task and attend class today," Dr. Puri replied in a gentle tone. "However, I don't think she'd be adverse to company for dinner this evening."

Jim nodded, but remained sitting, "I don't have class until noon," he replied in a nervous tone. "Uh, Doctor Puri, I was wondering if there were any counselors available…to talk with me…"

Dr. Puri suddenly looked thoughtful, "Well, we don't have any certified counselors available right now," he explained in a neutral tone. "However, maybe Captain Pike would be a good person to advise you."

Jim nodded and got to his feet, "Thanks for your time," he said in a deadened tone, inching towards the door with his eyes gazing down at the floor to avoid questioning gazes. "I'll see you around."

"Cadet Kirk, I noticed you squinting at my lecture board in class yesterday," Dr. Puri said in a brisk tone, remembering that Jim had continually passed on reading anything aloud. "Is everything all right?"

Jim remained silent and inched closer to the door, "Things don't focus sometimes, it's nothing," he replied in a hesitant voice. "I've been pushing myself in your class this summer and I also help Admiral Archer with stuff sometimes. I can't eat a lot of the food the Academy has and I don't ever sleep well."

"According to Academy records, you never DID come back for a follow-up exam after your medical problems last Christmas," Dr. Puri commented, quickly accessing the student files on the computer. "I find myself surprised at having to remind you of all people about that, Cadet Kirk…"

Jim found himself stiffening, "With all due respect, SIR," he snapped, unable to hold back his frustration any longer. "If you were any kind of a doctor, you'd have dragged me in here long before now and insisted that I get my follow-up exam done. To be honest, I'm kind of upset with you right now."

Dr. Puri raised an eyebrow, but remained silent, "Bones is the best doctor in this whole fleet and because he saved my life, you're all thinking of throwing him out of the Academy," Jim stated in a snappish tone. "I don't really think it's smart to be throwing away potential in favor of order."

Before Dr. Puri could reply, Jim turned and left the office. Dr. Puri gazed at the computer screen, deep in thought about what Cadet Kirk had said; obviously Kirk wanted a favorable outcome to the hearing.

With a sigh, Dr. Puri leaned back in his chair and began thinking about how to deal with Cadet Kirk's continued attitude problems towards authority; something had to be done very, very soon.

* * *

_**Pike Household**_

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne opened her eyes and was relieved to see that she was still on the couch in her father's large living room; she wasn't in the barracks on that desolate world with Leonard.

Gritting her teeth, Arianne pulled herself into a semi-sitting position and looked around; the house seemed to be quiet and empty. Her father had probably gone back to Starfleet Command to work.

Arianne swallowed hard and rested her head and back against the pillow; she placed a hand on the loose tan shirt that was covering her bandaged chest, "Up already?" a male voice suddenly asked.

There was silence for a moment and Arianne smiled as she saw her father come into view with a blanket tucked under his arm, "I figured this would keep you warmer than those sweatpants would," Chris said in a gentle voice, smiling as he draped the blanket over Arianne's body. "How are you feeling?"

"Very tired," Arianne replied softly. "Don't you have work to do at Starfleet Command today?"

Chris shrugged, "What kind of a father would I be if I left you alone your first day home from the hospital after a serious illness?" he stated in a gentle tone. "Anyway, I can use my computer for the most part."

Arianne nodded and promptly yawned, "Oh, I'm being foolish by keeping you awake, my daughter," Chris said, seeing the tiredness in Arianne's eyes. "You sleep and I'll be in my study if you need me."

As Arianne drifted back to sleep, Chris smiled and quietly went into his office; he took a seat behind his desk and turned on his computer, keeping the door open in case his dear daughter needed anything.

"…No, don't touch me," Chris suddenly heard Arianne's weak voice say from the living room. "Don't…"

There was silence and then a bang, "NO!" Arianne's voice screamed. "GET OUT OF MY MIND!"

Alarmed, Chris shot out of his chair and bolted into the living room; he saw Arianne huddled on the couch with her arms raised and her hands out in front of her in a defensive position. Her eyes were closed and tears were streaming down her pale face. She looked as if she was holding someone off.

"Arianne, honey, wake up," Chris said as he moved over to the couch and sat on a nearby stool.

Arianne gasped for a moment and opened her eyes, "I think I was forced into a mind meld while I was on that planet with Leonard," she said in a faint voice. "I remember waking up in some lab and someone placed their hands on my face and then I saw a bunch of images that I didn't recognize."

Chris looked heartsick for a moment and then stood, "I'll get you some spice tea from the replicator to help you sleep a little easier," he said in a gentle voice. "We'll talk more about this after you've rested."

Biting his lip, Chris moved into the kitchen and over to the corner replicator, "Vulcan spice tea," he said in a commanding tone, knowing that Sarek would want to know of Arianne's forced meld immediately.

In a flash, the tea materialized and Chris picked the mug up; he ignored the fact that his hands were intolerant of the heat and carried it into the living room. He carefully handed it to Arianne.

"Drink all of that and then rest," Chris ordered firmly. "I have to make a call in my office."

As Chris hurried into his office, Arianne sipped at the tea and then began to drink it as if Vulcan spice tea were the only drink she ever enjoyed; the tea had always calmed her when she had lived on Vulcan.

It didn't take long to finish the tea and lying back, Arianne allowed the empty mug to fall to the carpet as she drifted back into a much needed sleep. Her father wouldn't mind moving the mug while she slept.

* * *

_**Golden Gate Park**_

The summer air made Serij's stomach cringe, but he remained silent and instead focused his energy on taking in the many trees around him; Lady Amanda had brought him from Vulcan for a time of relaxation because she had felt sympathetic towards him because he had lost all of his scientific research.

"Serij, there you are!" the enthusiastic voice of Lady Amanda suddenly exclaimed from behind him.

Serij turned and saw Lady Amanda walking across the grass towards him accompanied by a young, yet very intelligent looking Vulcan who was dressed in a gray tunic, pants, and black boots.

"Lady Amanda, I apologize for wandering away," Serij stated in an apologetic tone as the two approached him. "I was lost in thought while I was observing the 'greenery' of this park space."

Amanda gave Serij a reassuring smile, "It's all right," she replied soothingly. "Spock, this is Serij, the young student who has been residing with your father and I on Vulcan. I brought him to see Earth."

Spock nodded, "Serij, this is my son, Spock," Amanda explained, gesturing to Spock. "Spock is an instructor at Starfleet Academy and also a very skilled scientist. He may be able to help you."

Suddenly, there was a beeping noise that prompted Spock to remove a small stylus from his pocket and check it; he studied it for a moment and then let out a sigh of slight discontent.

"I sincerely apologize, but my presence is needed back at the Academy immediately," Spock stated as he returned the stylus to his pocket. "You are welcome to continue touring the civilian areas if you wish and I will do my best to arrange for a tour of the Academy campus during your time on Earth."

Amanda nodded and linked arms with Serij as a mother would an orphan child, "I will contact you when I am able," Spock concluded. "Again, I apologize, but my presence is needed. Have a favorable day."

Giving Serij a nod, Spock turned and walked quickly across the grass towards the street. Amanda gazed at Serij for a moment and took in the young man's bruised face and flushed skin; she frowned.

"Let us return to the Embassy so you can rest some," Amanda said in a soothing tone as she gently led Serij across the grass. "When you're feeling better, perhaps Spock can take us to the Academy."

Knowing that he had to continue the façade even though he was very much beginning to hate Vulcans and this human, Serij managed a complacent nod and was silent as he allowed Amanda to guide him.

As they walked towards another section of the road to acquire what Amanda referred to as 'public transport', Serij couldn't help but feel envious of T'Pol. T'Pol was on Vulcan, free to do as she wished while raising a half-Vulcan child while he was on Earth, forced by Nero to live in undercover agony.

Serij also knew, however, that the reason for Nero's orders would serve its purpose soon enough.

* * *

_**Academy Classroom – 1300**_

Ignoring the headache that threatened to pound through his skull, Jim looked down at his personal PADD and immediately felt the headache fade a bit; the class notes were too far away for him to see.

Maybe he should go see someone about his obvious vision problems and the headaches that came whenever he tried to strain his eyes, Jim reasoned as he closed his eyes to finish off the headache.

"CADET KIRK!" a loud voice suddenly shouted. "WAKE UP THIS INSTANT!"

Jim opened his eyes and gulped as he saw that Dr. Puri, Bones, and the rest of the class were all staring at him with expressions of anger, shock, and confusion on their faces. Jim sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Midnight PT for sleeping in class," Dr. Puri stated in a grouchy voice as he made a note on his stylus.

Jim nodded and saw Bones roll his eyes and mutter 'honestly', "All right, class, now let's commence with today's assignment," Dr. Puri stated in a gruff tone as he tapped on his stylus. "I've sent you all an assignment that you can work on in class and in each class until it becomes due at the end of term."

Quickly skimming through the assignment, Jim sighed and pocketed his PADD; he would work on it later when he was feeling better. Right now, all he wanted to do was go back to his empty dorm and crash into bed for the next 10 hours. Maybe tomorrow, he would visit Arianne at Captain Pike's house.

"All right, if there are no questions, class is dismissed," Dr. Puri stated. "Cadet Kirk, remain behind."

Jim groaned and as the other people in the class left, he made his way up to where Dr. Puri and Leonard were standing, "Well, Cadet Kirk, it seems as if your ruse is up," Dr. Puri stated in an amused tone. "Now that Ensign Pike is temporarily incapacitated, you don't have anything to hide behind anymore. I can now see that it was only because of her that you managed to keep atop things…you're washing out."

Unaware that Dr. Puri was merely testing him to see how he'd react, Jim nodded numbly and gazed at the floor in shame, "Yes sir," Jim replied tonelessly, just wanting to escape into endless sleep.

"You'll be doing your midnight PT with a few others who chose to stay aroundfor the summer and promptly got into scuffles with civilians," Dr. Puri stated. "Be on the North field at midnight sharp."

Jim nodded and Dr. Puri moved away, "Jim, what's going on with you?" Leonard asked in a voice full of both concern and irritation. "Ever since Arianne got sick, you've been acting odd…"

"Mind your own business, McCoy," Jim snapped, glaring at Leonard. "I have things to take care of."

As Jim stalked out of the classroom, Leonard's mind was reeling; since when did Jim refer to him as McCoy and have such an aloof attitude towards everyone and everything? It was unnerving.

"McCoy, you're dismissed," Dr. Puri suddenly said. "I don't have any work for you today."

Leonard nodded and quietly left the classroom. He saw Jim sitting under a nearby tree with his head against the wood while his eyes were closed. A pained expression lingered on Jim's pale face.

A realization suddenly hit Leonard hard; he'd been extremely selfish ever since being rescued from that cesspool planet and it had cost him time, energy, and memories with the few friends he had on campus.

"Jim," Leonard said in a soft voice as he walked over to where Jim was resting. "Jim, wake up."

Jim mumbled something incoherent and slouched, causing a PADD to fall from his pocket. Leonard picked the PADD up and saw that the info was titled 'Notes on Bones for Arianne.'

Carefully slipping the PADD back into Jim's pocket, Leonard removed a medical tricorder from his own pocket and scanned Jim with it; Jim had a slight fever, high blood pressure, and obvious exhaustion.

"Jim, WAKE UP," Leonard said in a more forceful tone as he pocketed the tricorder.

Slowly, Jim's eyes opened and he gazed at Leonard, "What are you doing at Admiral Archer's?" Jim asked in a groggy tone, unaware of his current surroundings. "He doesn't like visitors…"

"Okay, Jim, I'm taking you back to my dorm," Leonard said as he carefully pulled Jim to his feet.

Jim narrowed his glazed over eyes at Leonard, "I didn't think you liked me," Jim said in a groggy voice as Leonard dragged him down the footpath towards the dorms. "You were so busy with other stuff."

Leonard sighed and hauled Jim into the dorm they had once shared, "You're going to sleep in my bed for a little bit while I work on some stuff," Leonard said in a semi-gentle tone. "I know you've got midnight PT on the North field, but I don't want you ending up sick because you're not taking care of yourself."

Jim groaned as Leonard helped him lie down, "I don't really have friends right now, Bones," Jim mumbled weakly as he lay there. "Arianne's sick and I suck at being a friend…the work's all I have."

Leonard rummaged through his emergency medkit and pulled out a hypospray, "This'll help you sleep and hopefully get rid of that fever," he said in a calming tone as he came back to the bed."

Jim winced as he felt the hypospray against his neck, "Thanks," he mumbled sleepily.

As Jim began to snore, Leonard moved away from the bed and over to the computer. He sat down at the desk and began typing out an email to Dr. Piper, requesting specific days, times, and locations of any AA meetings in an area where nobody would know him; maybe AA would be a step in the right direction.

Once that email was finished and sent, Leonard paused; he owed someone else an apology email as well, but he wondered if she would even speak to him or if she inherited her father's stubbornness.

With a sigh, Leonard typed out a short email to Arianne and sent it before he lost his nerve; she was the most challenging, yet most desirable woman he had ever encountered and he actually missed her.

Despite having suffered a divorce, Leonard knew that Arianne was nothing like Jocelyn; Arianne was stubborn and sometimes outspoken, yes, but she had the special ability to care for those around her.

Maybe in a few days, Leonard thought as he accessed his study notes, he would slip over to Captain Pike's house to do a follow-up visit and give Arianne some sort of gift…to show that he cared.

Anyway, even if she didn't feel anything for him, Leonard knew he might not be around long enough to wait in expressing such feelings of desire; July might very well be his last month at the Academy.

* * *

**_Pike Household – 1400_**

The front door slid open and Spock entered the house, immediately spotting Arianne asleep on the living room couch. He looked at Chris, who was lingering in the kitchen doorway looking concerned.

"Relax, Spock, I slipped a dissolvable sedative into Arianne's spice tea so she could have an undisturbed sleep," Chris stated. "I wanted to talk to you about perhaps adding an extracurricular activity to your schedule. I was going to wait until the start of fall term to approach the subject, but recent events have made me reconsider that."

Spock nodded, "You are referring to the call you placed to my father on Vulcan that prompted him to contact me on Earth with only the very briefest of details?" he stated. "It prompted my mother to travel to Earth almost immediately and she is hoping to visit with your daughter once Ensign Pike has had sufficient time to recover. My mother has always had a fondness for her."

"I'll let Arianne know that as soon as she wakes," Chris replied. "Anyway, I know that Arianne is going to be in your xenolinguistics course next term and I was wondering if you might also be willing to approach her about counseling sessions with you? She's so good at helping others through their troubles, but lately, Arianne's had some of her own troubles and she's having difficulty dealing with the aftermaths."

Spock was silent for a moment, "Although I am not a qualified psychological counselor, I believe that I might be able to provide Ensign Pike with assistance," he replied tonelessly. "I will wait until Ensign Pike is sufficiently recovered from her illness and then I will approach her with the idea of counseling."

"Thank you, Spock," Chris stated in a relieved tone. "I'll let you know when Arianne is approachable."

Giving a nod, Spock silently left the house. Chris sighed and as he turned, the holo-phone went off.

Silently cursing, Chris went over to the living room holo-phone and switched it on; Admiral Archer appeared on the screen and he didn't look happy. Chris sighed and fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Where's Kirk gotten to?" Admiral Archer asked in a grouchy voice. "I got home and found that Porthos has been out in the yard all day with his food and water. He could end up with pneumonia, Chris!"

Chris sighed, "Jon, it's beautiful outside and Porthos is NOT going to die because he spent some time in the fresh air unsupervised," he stated. "You really have to find other things to obsess over besides him."

"Oh, I have PLENTY to obsess over," Admiral Archer hooted on the other end. "This upcoming hearing to see if Cadet McCoy should be expelled is stressing a lot of us top brass people out. There are so many factors to consider and then there's the trial with Soval of Vulcan we all have to deal with…."

Chris raised a hand to cut Admiral Archer off, "Jon, enough, you're starting to give me gray hair," he said in a tight tone. "I know about all of that and Kirk is probably hanging out with Cadet McCoy right now."

Scowling, Admiral Archer cursed loudly and ended the call. Chris sighed and ran a hand through his hair; he was so incredibly tired, but he couldn't sleep in case Arianne woke up. He just needed coffee…now.

This summer was turning out to be one of the most stressful summers Chris had ever seen in his life.

* * *

_**Pike Residence - 0300**_

Drenched in sweat and exhausted from his midnight PT session with the other 'rowdies' who stuck around for the summer, Jim staggered into Captain Pike's backyard and saw Arianne sitting on the deck.

"Aren't you supposed to be resting?" Jim asked tiredly as he came over to the porch and sat down next to Arianne on Captain Pike's hand-built wooden deck. "I don't think your dad will be too happy if—"

Arianne chuckled, "I've been sleeping all day," she replied in an amused tone. "Besides, the night air helps me not to feel as much pain. I hurt a little bit, but I don't tell anyone…I hate causing worry."

Jim sighed and squeezed Arianne's hand, "Ah, Jim, I've missed you," Arianne said in a lighthearted tone as she leaned against him. "You're like a brother to me and I've missed you. Why are you all sweaty?"

"Midnight PT session for falling asleep in Puri's class," Jim replied nonchalantly. "It was…exercise."

There was silence for a moment and Jim sighed, "Look, Arianne, I know you're recovering, but I have to let you know about something," he stated, gazing at her. "Because of what Bones did back in December, there's gonna be a hearing next month to decide whether or not he can remain at the Academy…"

"..and you're wondering if I can do anything to help him," Arianne finished in a gentle tone.

Jim nodded, "Bones helps me out so much and he's like a big brother to me," he stated. "My biological family is a mess and has never really been there for me. I can't lose Bones to rules and regulations."

"Doctor McCoy has been a good influence on you, Jim, I agree," Arianne replied, knowing that Jim had most likely relied on Leonard to get him through the last little while during her time in the hospital.

Releasing Arianne's hand, Jim stood up, "Well, I thought I would let you know about the hearing," he said in a tired tone. "I should probably get back to Admiral Archer's, shower, and go to bed."

As Jim jogged off out of the yard and into the night, Arianne rose and quietly went back inside the house; her father was asleep in his room upstairs and she didn't want to interrupt the sleep he needed.

With a sigh, Arianne moved into her father's office and sat down at the computer; she left her father's stuff alone and quickly accessed the unread emails that had stacked up during her hospitalization. Her father had banned her from dealing with any stressful things including her email.

Arianne was immediately surprised when she found a brief, but somewhat gentle email from Leonard that told her to get well soon and also inquired into the possibility of aviaphobia counseling in the fall.

Knowing she wouldn't sleep at all that night, Arianne began the daunting task of responding to the many emails from friends, instructors, and clients who had noticed her absence, but didn't know as to why. It was time to share the fact that she was a survivor of a great battle.

* * *

**_Information Centre – Shi'Kahr, Vulcan_**

Relieved that Lorian was occupied with several advanced educational PADD's while he sat at her feet, T'Pol accessed the computer console before her and looked up the _Enterprise NX-01_ crew manifest.

Serij's data on the targets had been destroyed when Soval had destroyed his lab, so T'Pol had to think back to when the former Captain Archer had been in command of a ship and also deeply in love.

Trip had introduced Jonathan and the mysterious Arianne on the ship, T'Pol had remembered, and things had progressed there according to circumstances and appropriate human custom. However, shortly after the Enterprise had returned to Earth, Arianne had undertaken another Starfleet mission.

Scanning Arianne's personnel file, T'Pol discovered that she had been the Chief Science Officer on the USS Mandarin for its mission to El Auria; the Mandarin had been never discussed within Starfleet since.

Some quick searching brought T'Pol quite a shock; the Mandarin had been involved in some sort of accident within El Aurian space and only one had survived. The survivor had later died on El Auria.

However, T'Pol was quickly coming to a conclusion; Jonathan Archer's beloved woman closely resembled the young woman who attended Starfleet Academy on Earth and was known as Arianne Pike.

Thoughts of her de-aging experiment, which she had only used to save Lorian's life after a near-fatal accident, came to mind; could the El-Aurians have acquired her research and the technology for it?

It was certainly possible, T'Pol reasoned, but there was still a question in her mind; if Arianne had been de-aged by the El-Aurian technology and her research, how had Arianne gotten to Earth in that time?

With a sigh, T'Pol gnawed on her bottom lip; she would have to somehow make contact with Arianne Pike during her next visit to Earth in order to collect the final, solidifying pieces to this difficult puzzle.

* * *

Can I PLEASE have some detailed reviews on how y'all think the story is going so far and maybe some predictions on future chapters?


	17. Mid July 2256: Impulsive Good and Evil

_**Assembly Hall – Starfleet Academy - 0600**_

The banging of a gavel brought jarred Leonard awake, "All arise," the stern voice of Admiral Barnett rang out as Admiral Archer entered the room through the back door with Porthos on a leash.

Biting his lip, Leonard rose and was grateful that Captain Pike was there to help him stay calm; despite being on the Academy staff, Captain Pike had elected to speak in his defense at the hearing.

As Admiral Archer walked towards his seat at the judgment table, Leonard sighed; the entire Academy Command, including Dr. Puri and Phlox, had assembled in their dress uniforms for this hearing.

"Be seated," Admiral Archer stated as he sat down and quietly directed Porthos to sit at his feet.

Leonard shot a glance at Captain Pike as they retook their seats, "Leonard Horatio McCoy," Admiral Archer stated in a sharp tone as he glared daggers at Leonard. "Do you have a representative?"

Swallowing hard, Leonard looked to Chris, who immediately rose and pulled a stylus from his dress jacket, "Captain Christopher Pike," Chris stated in a respectful voice. "I am present today to represent and defend Cadet McCoy from being expelled from the Academy for illegitimate reasons."

"Illegitimate reasons?" Dr. Puri suddenly piped up in an aggravated tone. "McCoy operated on a patient without supervision and his behavior has been continually disruptive to the Academy and its staff!"

Leonard sighed, but remained silent, "However, McCoy did manage to save the life of the patient he was working on back in December, is that not correct?" Chris stated as he accessed a file on his stylus and glared at Dr. Puri. "The patient was also suffering from Pa'nar Syndrome, which Ambassador Sarek-"

"I am not TALKING about Ambassador Sarek or Cadet Kirk!" Dr. Puri shouted furiously. "I am addressing the fact that Cadet McCoy is reckless and is NOT Starfleet material! I've known that since the first day since he tried to off himself on the recruitment shuttle to the Academy!"

There was a beep and suddenly, the door to the Assembly Hall slid open, "…Additional representation for Cadet McCoy, Ensign Arianne C. Pike," a stern female voice suddenly filtered into the hall.

Leonard turned just in time to see Arianne slowly making her way down the staircase towards the command table; she was dressed in black pants, boots, and a loose undershirt that was covered by a blue medical shirt with her Ensign pip on her collar. Her hair was pulled back out of her face and although she looked extremely pale and tired, Leonard could also see determination in her eyes.

"Ensign Pike, this hearing is closed—" Admiral Archer began, hoping his tone would scare her off.

Arianne sighed as she reached the defense table and extracted a PADD from her pocket, "I have been Leonard McCoy's counselor ever since he enrolled in Starfleet Academy in the unique manner that he did," she stated in a firm tone, giving all of Academy Command a sharp glare.

Captain Pike looked somewhat amused, but, he like everyone else, remained silent, "If you will all refer to your private PADDs, Cadet McCoy has permitted me to share his most recent progress report," Arianne stated in an official tone as she tapped on her PADD. "This report is based on an assessment that was done shortly before I was taken ill with breast cancer, which Doctor McCoy diagnosed."

Dr. Puri turned a deep shade of red; he had missed the cancer diagnosis and hadn't admitted it.

Admiral Archer shot a sharp glare at Captain Pike; it was not until recently that Ensign Pike had chosen to divulge her state of health and Jonathan knew that it had most likely been Chris's idea to hide it.

The others at the table, however, were silently reviewing their PADDs; the expression on each of their faces, especially Admiral Barnett's, showed a great deal of intrigue and surprise on Arianne's notes.

"Ensign Pike, you attended university before coming to the Academy, correct?" Admiral Archer asked, secretly impressed by the way that this young lady was handling the situation with Cadet McCoy.

"Yes sir," Arianne replied in a respectful tone. "I attended the University of San Francisco and majored in Psychology while my minor was in Peace and Justice Studies. During those years, I also took Basic and Intermediate Field Medicine. I was at the university from 2250 to 2254, sir."

Admiral Archer nodded, as he now remembered that she had been one of the survivors of the devastating earthquake in 2253 and she had also counseled many of the survivors and loved ones.

"Cadet McCoy, it says here that you suffer from a degree of post-traumatic stress disorder and also from aviaphobia?" Admiral Barnett suddenly spoke up, gazing at Leonard. "Is that accurate?"

Leonard looked at Chris, who nodded that it was okay to answer, "Yes, sir, it is," Leonard replied politely, gazing straight at Admiral Barnett. "The PTSD stems from my experience as a hostage and Ensign Pike has been most helpful in talking to me about them. The aviaphobia, however-"

"—Will be dealt with come fall term," Arianne suddenly stated, cutting Leonard off. "I had been planning out more of my therapy track when I became sick. Now that I'm feeling better, I can continue the sessions with Cadet McCoy and I will take full responsibility for his progress."

Admiral Archer looked somewhat amused, "You do understand what that means, don't you?" he asked in a skeptical tone. "Basically, if McCoy screws up again, it's you who will be disciplined."

"I understand and stand by my decision," Arianne stated firmly. "Now that you and the other command officials have all pertinent information, the ball is now in your court."

Chris fought hard to keep a straight face as he watched Admiral Archer scowl and whisper to the other Admirals. Arianne stood at attention and ignored Leonard's shocked gaze.

"There will be a recess while the other Admirals and I come to a verdict," Admiral Barnett suddenly spoke up as he gazed at Arianne. "Ensign Pike, thank you for your testimony."

Arianne nodded and turned to leave, but suddenly felt a hand on her arm; she turned and saw Leonard staring at her while behind him, her father was putting PADD's in his pockets.

Swallowing hard, Arianne patted Leonard's arm reassuringly and silently left the hall.

Chris sighed and looked at Leonard, "We should adjourn to the foyer," Chris stated in an official voice as he gestured to a door that was several feet away from the defense table.

Leonard nodded and silently followed Chris into the adjoning foyer to wait for the verdict.

* * *

_**Starfleet Security**_

"T'Pol, I find it illogical that you would agree to assist the Federation in causing me harm because I was seeking information," Soval stated, secretly annoyed that a forcefield was separating them and he could not strangle his betrayer to death right then and there.

T'Pol looked somewhat angry, "James Kirk was not to be touched," she stated, her tone almost a growl. "The mind meld you administered afflicted him with Pa'nar Syndrome."

"Ambassador Sarek was able to cure it," Soval stated, having heard that information through listening to gossip that filtered through the halls each Terran day.

T'Pol snarled, relieved that there were no guards right next to the cell where Soval had been held since December. Soval looked somewhat bored and ready to return home.

"You and Serij are the ones seeking to study Earth specimens born under unique circumstances," Soval replied tonelessly. "It is illogical that I am the one on trial."

T'Pol crossed her arms, "You attacked a Starfleet cadet on a Terran holiday," she stated in a firm voice. "There were witnesses to the attack and it resulted in a chain of events that are the reason that Cadet Leonard McCoy is currently facing expulsion from the Academy."

"In your last message, you indicated that neither James Kirk nor Arianne Pike were born on Earth," Soval argued. "Can you not order their extradition to Vulcan for scientific study?"

Before T'Pol could reply, the door slid open and two Security officers entered the room and moved over to the cell. They regarded T'Pol briefly, but their focus was on Soval.

"You are illogical, T'Pol!" Soval yelled as T'Pol moved towards the door. "You deceived me!"

T'Pol, however, silently left the Brig to meditate with Lorian before Soval's trial; she had originally intended upon visiting and melding with Arianne Pike during her time on Earth, but the time was not yet right.

There were other ways to get to Ensign Pike…perhaps through interrogating her closest companion.

* * *

_**Admiral Archer's Residence**_

Jim woke with a start and was grateful to realize that he had just been having another bad dream.

With a sigh, he gazed around the bedroom that Admiral Archer had given him in exchange for serving as an educational assistant and occasional groundskeeper. Everything was as it should be.

A quick look at the chronometer on the bedside table told Jim that it was time to get up, shower, eat, and get into his cadet reds; he would be expected to testify at the noon trial and he had to be on time.

Before the trial, however, Jim planned to go to a civilian library to do research on his class paper and without Arianne's help, he knew it would take longer; his English and writing skills were terrible.

Jim quickly got out of bed and, quickly making it, he left the room and quickly moved down the short staircase, relieved that he didn't have to feed Porthos that morning. The kitchen was not hard to enter and Jim immediately got a cup of black coffee from the replicator to calm his frayed nerves.

The bad dreams were always the same and ever since the attack in December, they had accelerated to once or twice a night, as if someone was tapping his mind and forcing him to relive the past.

A sudden chime brought Jim away from his thoughts and gripping the mug in his hands, he moved out of the kitchen, through the living room, and to the front door. Wondering if it was Bones come to tell him about the outcome of the hearing, Jim unlocked the door and waited, somewhat impatient.

The door slid open and a young Vulcan enshrouded in a black robe was lingering on the door step holding a small duffel bag in one hand. The Vulcan was silent, staring at Jim intensely.

Suddenly, the Vulcan reached out and nerve pinched Jim, causing the bleary-eyed cadet to drop to the floor like a stone and the cup with him. Serij smiled; Cadet Kirk was nothing but a lightweight.

With a grunt, Serij pulled out a communicator, "Serij to Reed, two to transport to location Alpha," he said in a low voice as he wrenched the cup from Kirk's hand. "Lock on and energize immediately."

Both Jim and Serij dematerialized instantly, leaving an open door and a coffee cup unattended.

* * *

_**Canteen - Academy Grounds**_

"Arianne, you have a wonderful heart," Amanda said as she brought a large cup of tea over to the table where Arianne was sitting. "However, you do have a tendency to push yourself to the limit all of the time."

As Amanda sat down across from her, Arianne smiled and gripped the cup of tea; she had just left Leonard's hearing when she had come across Amanda going for a walk across the grounds. They had talked for a moment and then mutually decided to come to the canteen for a nice breakfast.

It was mostly deserted, which made for better service, "You are so very right," Arianne replied as she took a sip of the tea and set the mug back on the table. "However, I am much like my father."

Amanda smiled, "As intelligent as you are, my dear, I don't doubt that," she replied in a gentle voice as she gave Arianne a reassuring look. "I just think you should have more balance in your life."

"What do you mean by that?" Arianne asked, confused as to what else she needed in her life.

Amanda's smile widened and she patted Arianne's hand reassuringly, "As wonderful as education and an illustrious career are, nothing can take the place of romance," Amanda said, a tone of slyness in her voice. "I know you're still quite young, dear, but I encourage you to at least consider the possibility."

A cafeteria worker suddenly interrupted the conversation by bringing the food that they had ordered to the table, which had been cooked from scratch because it wasn't busy; the food looked appetizing.

Amanda had dug in without hesitation, as she didn't often get the chance anymore to sample Terran cuisine and she had never eaten at the Academy canteen. Arianne, however, was thinking about Amanda's words.

* * *

_**Assembly Hall – Starfleet Academy - 0900**_

Silence filled the hall as Chris led Leonard back into the hearing area where all of the Admirals had already reassembled at the table in an orderly fashion; all of them looked somewhat content.

There was silence as Admiral Barnett rose from his seat and moved to the podium, "Captain Pike, Cadet McCoy, we have taken sufficient time to discuss this matter," he said sternly. "We have a verdict."

Chris nodded and his face remained expressionless. Leonard, however, grimaced and tried to focus.

"Despite your controversial actions and attitude, the Admirality has unanimously decided to allow your studies at Starfleet Academy to continue," Admiral Barnett stated. "However, there are conditions."

Leonard's eyes widened in shock; they were actually going to let him stay at Starfleet Academy?

Chris suddenly gave him a nudge, causing Leonard to stop daydreaming, "…Come fall term, you will actively engage in flight training and aviaphobia counseling with Ensign Pike," Admiral Barnett was saying. "Additionally, you will be required to meet weekly with your educational advisor about how you are progressing both socially and academically. You will also be given shifts at Starfleet Medical to improve your people skills. These conditions must be met in order for you to graduate."

"Yes sir, I understand," Leonard replied, careful to look Admiral Barnett in the eye. "Thank you."

Admiral Barnett looked amused, "Thank Ensign Pike," he replied. "Her help saved your career."

Chris gave Leonard a long look, but remained silent, "This hearing is concluded," Admiral Barnett stated in a firm tone. "Cadet McCoy, you are dismissed. Captain Pike, a word, please?"

Knowing they _would_ want to talk with him, Chris nodded at Leonard that it was okay for him to leave and do whatever he needed to do. Leonard didn't hesitate; he silently left as fast as he could.

What he didn't expect to see, however, was several cadets, all dressed in civilian summer clothing, gathered on the steps of the Assembly hall. Upon seeing Leonard, they became very silent.

"Jim told us that your hearing was today," Mitchell spoke up. "How did it go?"

_Just like Jim to bring unwanted attention my way. _Leonard thought as he sighed patiently.

"They're going to let me stay," Leonard replied politely. "That's all that's important right now."

A loud cheer rose up from the small crowd, "PARTY AT THE CANTEEN!" Leonard suddenly heard Finnegan shout from within the crowd. "After that, we'll go out on the town…in style."

Before he could protest, Leonard found himself being pulled into the crowd and shuttled down the footpath towards the canteen. Many of Jim's friends were there, but there was no sign of Jim.

Leonard sighed; Jim was probably psyching himself up to testify at the trial of the Vulcan who had attacked him at the restaurant in December. It would be a very high-stress day for Jim.

Maybe later that afternoon, Leonard thought as he was dragged along, he would go visit Jim over at Admiral Archer's and help Jim to calm down. They were best friends, almost brothers, after all.

* * *

_**Underworld Station Alpha - Alameda, California**_

"…The spitting image of his father," a deep, amused voice whispered through the darkness.

Darkness was the first thing that greeted Jim as he opened his eyes and quickly realized that something soft was jammed in his mouth; he felt cold and pain, but he didn't know where he was or why.

"Condition him and see if he'll talk," a sharper, yet very female voice suddenly said. "Watch him suffer."

Jim suddenly felt something strike his back repeatedly; he wanted nothing more than to pass out.

"STAY AWAKE, KIRK!" a voice roared as Jim felt a hand slap his face. "You will feel _everything."_

As the soft object was removed from his mouth, Jim fought the urge to swear, yell, or even to say a word in protest; he would take every bit of pain given while protecting Arianne from harm.

Section 31's continued obsession with Arianne was the reason for this, Jim reasoned; he would not talk or give them anything they could use to gain access to her. Even if it meant being killed in the process.

* * *

Canteen - Academy Grounds - 1100

The impromptu party was still in full swing; a lot of first year cadets had taken time out of their hard earned summer vacations just to come and celebrate the good outcome of the hearing.

Amanda, who had missed Terran gatherings that didn't have formality to them, engaged in discussions with several of the cadets, all of whom were curious about her being Ambassador Sarek's wife.

Leonard secluded himself at a table as close to the door as possible. He didn't see Arianne anywhere and he was well aware that every female cadet in attendance seemed to find him attractive.

One in particular, Elizabeth Dehner, would occasionally shoot eyes at him and flutter her eyelashes in a semi-sexual manner. Leonard merely rolled his eyes and kept his head down, not caring for it at all.

The noise level in the canteen was incredible, but the staff were lenient because it was summer term.

With a sigh, Leonard stood up and quietly left the canteen; he had suffered enough of this social nightmare and was better off going to the trial and supporting his best friend for the rest of the day.

As he came outside, however, Leonard spotted Arianne seated on the grass under a tree that was just off the footpath. Her eyes were closed and she looked relaxed and happy, despite her pale skin.

Leonard silently walked over to the tree, "Ensign Pike?" he asked, keeping his tone neutral.

Arianne gave a slight gasp and opened her eyes, "Doctor McCoy," she replied in a groggy tone as she struggled to wake up properly. "I came out here to get away from the crowd and dozed off…"

"Thank you for what you did this morning," Leonard stated. "It helped a lot."

Arianne nodded, "Jim told me about it last month and I decided that I couldn't allow someone with your potential to be disposed of like trash," she replied gently. "I assume the hearing went well?"

"Yes, they allowed me to stay with conditions attached," Leonard replied as he took a seat on the ground next to Arianne and rested his back against the tree. "Will you help me meet them?"

Arianne was silent for a moment and nodded, "I'm a counselor, Doctor McCoy, of course I will help you for as long as you want me to," she replied. "You helped me through my cancer, so I will help you."

"How are you feeling, anyway?" Leonard asked, ignoring the obvious attraction he had not only to Arianne's looks, but also to her personality. "I was surprised to see you up and around so quickly."

Arianne shrugged, "I'm tough," she replied softly. "The way I am, I have no choice but to be tough."

Leonard gave Arianne a confused look, "I have Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and Non-Verbal Learning Disorder," Arianne explained in a soft voice; she half expected him to run away screaming.

"So?" Leonard replied, suddenly understanding her aloof demeanor. "Nothing's wrong with that."

With a sigh, Arianne slowly stood up, "I assume you're going to go to Soval's trial and be there when Jim has to give testimony?" she asked, abruptly changing the subject. "I heard that was today."

"Yeah, I'm headed there now," Leonard replied gently as he stood. "Would you like to come with me?"

Arianne sighed, "Jim will probably want some reassurance before the trial," she replied, absentmindedly taking Leonard's hand to stop her own from trembling. "The walk will do me some good."

Leonard raised an eyebrow at Arianne holding his hand, but said nothing; instead, he remained silent as they walked back on to the footpath and towards the building where Soval's trial would take place.

There was suddenly a commotion and Arianne and Leonard turned just in time to see everyone filing out of the canteen with concerned, shocked, and horrified looks on their faces as they came closer.

"A worldwide cadet recall alert was just put out," Mitchell stated, reaching Leonard and Arianne first.

Leonard and Arianne exchanged a concerned look, "There was some sort of break in at Admiral Archer's and he's recalling all cadets who are currently planetside," Mitchell explained as the crowd filed past them in a hurry. "I don't know why all cadets are being recalled for a simple break in, unless…"

"Jim," Arianne stated, suddenly coming to a realization. "Jim is boarding with Admiral Archer."

Leonard bit his lip and stared at the ground as the crowd cleared and Arianne suddenly saw Amanda coming down the path towards them. Amanda looked as equally concerned as the cadets had.

"All of the cadets were ordered to rendezvous points," Amanda stated in a fearful whisper. "I was just contacted by Sarek and he insists that I meet him immediately. Are you two all right?"

Arianne nodded, "I don't think Jim is all right, though," she replied. "He might have been abducted."

Amanda looked horrified, but before she could say anything, Spock suddenly came running down the footpath from the Command buildings. He stopped at the sight of Leonard, Arianne, and his mother.

"Mother, I have been sent to escort you to a safe location," Spock stated, his eyes narrowing at the cadets, both of whom he recognized. "Cadets have been ordered to rendezvous at Assembly Hall."

Amanda took Spock's arm, "All right, Spock, let us go" she replied in a gentle tone.

Understanding themselves to be dismissed, Arianne and Leonard turned and walked down the footpath towards the assembly hall as fast as they could; both of them silently hoping that Jim was okay.

* * *

_**Starfleet Command - 2300 H**_

Twelve hours since Cadet Kirk had been officially declared missing and nothing had been found.

With Starfleet Security doing continual patrols of the entire campus, every planetside cadet safely back in their dorms, and all Academy Instructors secluded in the Command Building, there was nothing else anyone could do but wait for news; whether it was good or bad, it would still be a bit of a relief.

Chris had spent a great deal of time personally scouring campus on his hover bike, searching for the cadet whom he considered to be a son, to no avail. He had then come back to his private office and had called the number he had listed for Winona Kirk in Iowa; the number had been disconnected.

Feeling slightly aggravated that Winona seemed to have no concern over Jim, Chris had then used his exemplary computer skills to hack into Jim's personal files and get the number to a lab in the southeastern United States where Sam Kirk worked as a biologist. That number had worked.

However, Chris had been met with a surprising response when he had contacted Sam and had explained the situation; Sam had denied even having a brother and had warned Chris never to call again.

"Dad?" a very familiar voice suddenly stated, surprising Chris as he stared at the wall in thought.

Chris turned his chair and was very surprised to see Arianne standing there, "I covered the Security camera and decided to come visit you," she said, the concern in her voice heavy. "Any news?"

"None as of yet," Chris replied solemnly. "Soval's trial has been postponed indefinitely, however."

Arianne nodded, "Dad, if there's anyone who needs counseling, I can do it," she stated, her sense of duty overruling any concern she felt for Jim's safety. "I am a qualified counselor, after all."

"Nobody is as close to Cadet Kirk as you," Chris replied as Arianne sat in the visitor's chair. "I'm concerned by the fact that none of his family seems to care that he is missing without a trace."

Arianne bit her lip, "I remember that the last complete stranger to show any compassion or care towards Jim was Madame Guinan at the school in Des Moines," she explained, remembering how Madame Guinan had brought Jim out of his shell. "It's been a while since I thought about her."

"Arianne, could you possibly help me try and track this Madame Guinan down?" Chris asked, an idea suddenly coming to mind. "When Cadet Kirk is found, he will need some extra familial support."

Arianne nodded and, rising, she moved around the desk to her father's computer; she knew computers somewhat better than her father and that Madame Guinan might be the best possible help for Jim.

As she helped her father on the computer, Arianne silently prayed that Jim would be found alive.

* * *

_**Edge of Academy Campus - 0100**_

The rain was falling hard as Leonard exited the hover cab at the edge of campus, still dressed in his cadet reds and feeling slightly rejuvenated; he had snuck off campus to attend an AA meeting for the first time and hadn't said a word while he was there. However, just being there had been enough.

After the meeting, he had talked with Dr. Piper briefly about Jim's sudden abduction and Dr. Piper had urged him to hang in there and offered continual support. Leonard had thanked him and left.

As the hover cab pulled away, Leonard suddenly spotted a hunched figure making it's way across the slippery road, towards the Academy campus with what appeared to be a weapon in it's hand.

Biting his lip, Leonard reached for his communicator to call Starfleet Security, "…Gonna die," could suddenly be heard in a faint voice as the figure stepped on to the grounds, its body shaking madly.

Leonard sighed, grateful to have his emergency medkit with him; the stranger was obviously hurt or sick and needed immediate medical treatment whether or not they were trespassing on private property.

"I'm Doctor McCoy," Leonard said in a reassuring tone as the stranger suddenly sank to its knees.

Thunder rumbled overhead and lightning flashed, enabling Leonard to catch a glimpse of the victim's bare torso; bleeding whip cuts and other unidentifiable injuries covered its back and chest.

"B-Bones?" a faint voice suddenly asked as Leonard opened his medkit. "…so dark…."

Suddenly recognizing the voice, Leonard froze and pulled out his flashlight, "Jim, is that you?" he asked, shining his flashlight on the being only to find that the beaten stranger was the missing Jim. "Jim!"

There was whimpering and Jim grabbed Leonard's wrist, "Jim, let go so I can call for a beam out," Leonard said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I have to take you to Starfleet Medical right away."

"I couldn't let them have her," Jim protested, his hand trembling as he gripped Leonard's arm.

With a moan, Jim promptly puked, "I'm c-cold," he slurred. "I wanna go home….please."

Gently easing his arm out of Jim's grip, Leonard opened his communicator, "Doctor McCoy to Starfleet Medical, do you read?" he said, his voice anxious. "Two to beam directly to Starfleet Medical!"

"T-Take," Jim suddenly gasped as he extracted a sinister looking, bloody rifle from under his chest.

Leonard's eyes widened at the sight of the bloodstained weapon, "I read you," the stoic voice of Dr. Phlox suddenly replied. "Locking on to your location now. Prepare for transport in…"

The voice suddenly faded as Leonard, Jim, the med-kit, and the gun vanished in a swirl of light_._

* * *

**Detailed reviews, please? Reviews will make me want to continue and eventually conclude this story.**


	18. Mid July 2256 Part II: Save and Search

_**Surgical Bay - Starfleet Medical**_

"McCoy, what the heck-?"

Leonard growled in frustration and ignored Puri's angry tone; his focus was getting his nearly naked, badly beaten, drenched friend on to a biobed and as far from death as possible.

The transport had been quick, but Jim had passed out in the middle of it and now Leonard had to act fast or Jim would soon die. The wounds on Jim's face and body were numerous and horrific, Leonard thought as he lifted Jim on to a biobed; whoever did this would pay.

"I was on my way back from an off campus meeting when Cadet Kirk came staggering towards me with a bloodstained weapon in his posession," Leonard stated in a strained voice as he forced the weapon from Jim's weak grip and threw it on the floor near the exit door.

Dr. Puri gaped at the bloodstained weapon on the floor, "I'm calling Starfleet Security," he said in an anxious voice as he looked back up at Leonard, only to find him slowly cutting clothing away from Cadet Kirk's body with a small pair of scissors. "What are you doing?"

"I'm cutting what little clothing he has off and then giving him a sonic shower," Leonard stated as he finished removing the clothing and lowered a frame over Jim's body. "I can't operate on Jim when he's this dirty; he'll die from post-op infection if I do that."

Swearing loudly, Dr. Puri moved over to a computer console just as Phlox entered the surgical bay with surgical clothes on, "I have come to lend my assistance," Phlox stated, relieved that Leonard seemed to be tending to the patient properly. "Have you scanned the patient?"

"Overhead monitor records unstable vital signs," Leonard replied as he quickly pulled out a tricorder and scanned Jim's body. "Tricorder scan shows multiple fractures, severe internal bruising, broken ribs, countless lacerations and heavy blood loss. What I see right now concurs with what the tricorder and monitor is telling me. Immediate surgery is required."

Secretly impressed with Leonard's professionalism, Dr. Puri tapped in a request for Starfleet Security to report to Sickbay immediately, "I'll contact Captain Pike and Admiral Archer from my office and then return to assist. Go shower and get into surgical wear, Doctor McCoy."

Leonard nodded and moved out of the surgical bay to clean up, knowing that Phlox would take care of Jim until he got back; hopefully, Jim would make it through this crisis.

* * *

_**Starfleet Command - Captain Pike's Office - 0200**_

"Jim Kirk had a WHAT on him?" Chris asked, wide-eyed at what Dr. Puri had just told him.

Dr. Puri sighed as Chris leaned forward in his chair, "It looked to be a phaser rifle of some sort covered in blood," Dr. Puri replied in a distressed voice. "Security came and got the weapon out of the surgical bay. Phlox and McCoy are preparing to operate on Cadet Kirk now."

"Okay, go and supervise the surgery," Chris replied, wanting nothing more than to go order a Starfleet Security raid on Section 31 for their continued troublemaking. "I'll talk to Admiral Archer myself and I'll expect a call when Cadet Kirk is in Recovery. Do you understand?"

Dr. Puri nodded and Chris quickly switched off the viewscreen and gazed at Arianne, who had been in the visitor's chair for hours and hadn't moved, "You should go home and get some rest, daughter," Chris stated in a gentle tone, seeing how worn out Arianne looked.

"I'd prefer to wait until Jim's out of surgery," Arianne replied in a monotone voice, gritting her teeth with pain from being upright too long. "It's my fault he was put through this."

Chris sighed, "It's premature to assume that the attack on Cadet Kirk was an attempt to get information or anything from you, Arianne," he stated in a firm tone. "Besides, I can clearly tell that you're in pain right now from being upright too long. Go home and go to bed, okay?"

"Yeah, Dad, okay," Arianne replied, wincing as she got to her feet and grabbed the desk.

Fighting the urge to swear, Chris rose from his chair, "You can take the office transporter to the Command Housing Courtyard," he stated as he moved around the desk ad gently took his daughter's arm. "The walk from there to our house isn't very far."

Arianne sighed and allowed her father to lead her over to the small transporter that he had in his office; she gently wriggled from his grip and obediently moved on to the transporter pad.

"When you get home, I want you to call," Chris stated as he inputted a command into the console for direct transport to the proper courtyard. "After that, I want you to take a pain pill and go to bed. I don't know when I'll get home, but you'd better be resting when I do."

Arianne nodded, "All right, get some rest," Chris stated. "Energizing now."

As Arianne dematerialized, Chris turned away and moved back to his desk; he had little doubt that Arianne would have any problem getting home from the Command Housing Courtyard.

However, Chris had no idea that even close to home, danger still freely lurked in shadows.

* * *

**_Starfleet Command Housing Courtyard_**

Gazing at the towering Vulcan Embassy that was merely yards from the dwellings that housed all Starfleet Command personnel and their families, T'Pol scowled and crossed her arms.

"No need to become angered," the stoic voice of Jeris suddenly sounded in her ear.

T'Pol turned and saw Serij standing beside her, "I told Lady Amanda that I would not be long in my evening therapeutic walk," he stated with a raised eyebrow. "Does Cadet Kirk live?"

"He lives, but with severe injuries," T'Pol replied crossly. "You became overstimulated during your interrogation and administered more physical force than was necessary."

Serij looked slightly amused, "I wasn't alone in being overstimulated, T'Pol," he replied in a cool voice as he regarded his superior. "You expressed an attraction towards Cadet Kirk."

Before T'Pol could reply, a flash of light caught her eye; she turned her head just in time to see Arianne step off the transporter that was on the other side of a small patch of decorated trees that adorned the middle of the courtyard; she couldn't see either of them.

"Return to the Vulcan Embassy and engage in immediate meditation," T'Pol replied, a deep growl in her normally stoic voice. "I will return shortly, as I must tend to Lorian."

Serij gave a nod and turning, he swept across the grass back towards the Vulcan Embassy.

T'Pol watched as Arianne moved over to a small bench near the trees and took a seat; the exhaustion on Arianne's face was obvious, T'Pol thought, making her very vulnerable.

Gritting her teeth, T'Pol crept up behind Arianne and gripped her face aggressively with one hand while restraining her in a sitting position with the other. Arianne gasped and shook out of pure terror, but because of the hard day she had experience, had no strength to fight.

Arianne could hear faint whispering as she felt a presence enter and dig through her thoughts, desires, and memories; it was painful and made her want to pass out.

Suddenly, Arianne felt a sharp jolt and felt herself sinking to the ground; the courtyard was coming back into focus, but she could see someone in a blue shirt coming towards her.

Unfortunately, Arianne wasn't able to tell who was coming, as the meld she had been forced into had drained her of strength; her eyes slowly fell shut and her body went very limp.

For a moment, there was silence as Spock hovered silently over whom he recognized to be Ensign Pike of Starfleet Academy; he knelt down and touched her skin to find it warm.

Spock's eyes narrowed as he noticed claw marks on Arianne's face; he had been coming back to his residence after visiting with his parents at the Vulcan Embassy and had briefly seen a hand initiating a mind meld with the young Ensign, one that seemed to cause her distress.

Biting his lip, Spock moved his hand to where the marks were and felt an immediate jolt run through his body, as if Arianne were fighting him off with her mind out of shock and fear.

Letting out a small sigh, Spock carefully scooped Arianne into his arms and straightened his posture; in order to prevent Pa'nar Syndrome from materializing, he would need to act quickly, but in private. There was no need to alert Security unless there was danger.

Spock gazed around to ensure that he was alone and, with another sigh, he quickly carried the unconscious Ensign towards his dwelling on the farthest edge of the courtyard.

* * *

_**Surgical Bay - Starfleet Medical - 0600**_

Rays of the rising sun shone into the surgical bay at Starfleet Medical as Leonard activated the stasis field that would keep his heavily sedated friend in bed. The surgery was finally over.

After the surgery, Leonard had seen to it that Jim's frail body was covered with both a patient gown and blankets; nobody needed to see the damage done and Jim needed to feel safe.

Letting out an exhausted sigh, Leonard sank on to an empty stool next to the biobed and hung the dripboxes of fluids and blood that were in Jim's good arm. The surgery had been long and exhausting even with Phlox's help, but it was done and Jim would be fine in time.

"McCoy, I want a report," Dr. Puri suddenly said as he entered the surgical bay and saw Jim properly situated and Leonard having a sit-down. "Phlox said that you were done."

Leonard nodded and grabbed a PADD off the bedside table, "I have no spare strength for lengthy conversations, so read that," he said, offering the PADD to Dr. Puri. "In short, Jim's got a fractured skull, broken left arm, a dislocated left shoulder, two broken ankles. several broken ribs, multiple rib fractures, a heavily lacerated and bruised back, a broken nose, and a broken jaw. I had to wire his jaws shut and induce a medicated coma to promote healing."

"Hmm," Dr. Puri grunted as he took the PADD and skimmed it. "How long will Kirk be out?"

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Leonard sighed, "Two weeks," he replied tonelessly. "In that time, Jim's body will be able to heal enough so consciousness will be easier later on."

Dr. Puri nodded and returned the PADD, "As of now, you are officially the only physician for Cadet Kirk," he stated in a no-nonsense tone. "You can add the surgery notes to his file later, but for now I want you to clean up and go relax. You've been up for 24 hours straight."

"I can't," Leonard replied in a tired voice that was not his own. "Jim's still at death's door."

Leonard then sighed and got to his feet, "I'm going back to my dorm," he grunted in a weak tone of surrender as he pocketed the PADD. "Hope you don't mind not having a TA today."

"I'll forgive it under the circumstances," Dr. Puri muttered quietly as Leonard left the surgical recovery bay in silence with his eyes drooping; in all honesty, Leonard felt ready to collapse.

With a sigh, Dr. Puri moved over to Cadet Kirk's bedside and began to monitor his in-coma progress; he was also thinking of a way that he could commend McCoy for his heroism and continued improvement.

* * *

_**Commander Spock's Residence - Starfleet Command Housing**_

Intense pain flooded Arianne's body as she opened her eyes to find herself gazing upward.

The ceiling was one that was found in each Command Housing unit, yet it was darker than her father's ceiling and the air was warmer than that of her father's house; where was she?

With a sigh, Arianne slowly uprighted herself into a sitting position and saw that she was facing a large desk that had a chair behind it and a small computer on top of it.

A sudden feeling of nausea prompted Arianne to lay back down and close her eyes.

Silence reigned for a few seconds and then Arianne suddenly felt a hand rest on her forehead and move to her cheekbone, "NO!" she shouted, suddenly jerking away from the hand.

"Ensign Pike, cease expressing anxiety," a toneless voice suddenly stated as Arianne felt herself slowly slipping off the couch. "I do not endeavor to harm you. I am here to help."

Suddenly recognizing the voice as Spock's, Arianne slowly sat up and saw that Spock was indeed standing next to the couch and looking at her with a slightly concerned expression.

"Where am I?" Arianne asked, surprised at how weak she sounded as she looked at Spock.

Raising an eyebrow, Spock sat on the couch next to Arianne, "I was returning to my residence last night from the Vulcan Embassy when I witnessed you being attacked by a forced mind meld," Spock explained in a toneless voice. "You are on a guest couch in my private office."

"I fought back," Arianne whispered, suddenly remembering how she pushed the attacker from her mind, which caused her great pain. "How was I able to fight back?"

For a brief moment, Arianne saw intrigue in Spock's eyes, "I believe the meditation and mind discipline techniques taught to you by my father have served you well," he replied, gazing straight into her eyes. "However, I also feel you could benefit from additional assistance."

"I'm a certified counselor," Arianne replied in a worried voice. "I shouldn't need help."

Spock inhaled sharply, "While it is true that you are a certified counselor, you have not yet fully learned how to overcome effects from your more recent experiences so that you can use them to assist in the recovery processes of others," he stated firmly.

"You're right and I know that in my heart," Arianne replied softly, ignoring the lethargy that threatened to send her back into unconsciousness. "What help do you recommend I seek?"

There was a brief period of silence, "I am willing to act in the position of helper so that you might be able to work through these experiences," Spock stated in a soft tone. "I am not a qualified counselor, but I am offering help if you are eager to become a better helper."

Arianne was quiet for a moment and then nodded, "I appreciate your offer," she replied, knowing that she could never tell anyone of this. "Will our sessions remain confidential?"

"I have no intention of disregarding your desire for privacy," Spock stated, a slight tone of sincerity in his voice. "We can commence these 'sessions' as soon as you desire to."

Arianne nodded and suddenly winced, "Forgive me, I'm still not fully recovered from the surgery that eliminated cancer from my body," she said in a weak voice as she laid back, her gaze still on Spock as she placed a hand on her chest. "I'm restricted from classes until Fall semester."

"I am aware of this fact," Spock replied in a tone of unusual concern. "You need to rest."

Arianne managed a small smile, "I was on my way home to do so when I was attacked," she stated in a faint voice. "My father insisted that since Jim is now in good hands, I should stop worrying about him. I have this tendency to overwork myself, much like my father."

"Overwork will produce no positive results," Spock stated in a tone that told Arianne she had better not argue with him. "I must insist on providing you an escort back to your home."

Too weak to argue, Arianne nodded and closed her eyes; she was unaware that Spock had risen from the couch, moved to his desk's communication console, and was now contacting his mother about the situation. All the while, he was watching her sleep, silently relieved.

* * *

_**T'Pol's Quarters - Vulcan Embassy**_

_The de-aging experiment; it had worked on not only Lorian, but Arianne Pike as well._

It all made sense, T'Pol reflected as she meditated in the common area of the quarters she and Lorian shared during their visit to Earth; Arianne Pike was not who she appeared to be.

T'Pol remembered that the Arianne from the NX-01 had shared a deep friendship with Commander Tucker from the time that they had gone off searching for the Xindi in the Delphic Expanse.

Not long into that mission, Commander Tucker had played matchmaker for Arianne and Captain Archer; the two immediately fell in love and began courting.

T'Pol suddenly rose from meditative stance; she remembered that after the Commander's death and the NX-01's return to Earth, Arianne had been assigned to the USS Mandarin; the ship had ended up destroyed in a tragic accident and all hands lost in El-Aurian space.

However, after breaking through a mind block in Arianne Pike's mind, T'Pol knew that not all the Mandarin crew had perished; the El-Aurians had saw fit to rescue the lone survivor.

Scoffing quietly so not to wake Lorian, T'Pol moved into the kitchenette and opened one of the drawers she had stored personal belongings in; she pulled out an old picture of the NX-01 crew taken right as they were en route to the Expanse. An older looking Arianne was in it.

T'Pol closed the drawer and moved to a nearby computer console; she typed the name _Arianne _into the database and waited; almost immediately, two service records appeared.

One record was of Admiral Archer's fiance that ended with her alleged death in 2161 with the rest of the Mandarin crew near the El-Aurian homeworld; her rank was full Lieutenant.

The other record was of an Arianne Christine Pike who was born circa 2231 and adopted by Captain Christopher Pike shortly after her birth; her record listed little more than that she was granted a field promotion to Ensign at the age of 16 and sought civilian education until she was accepted to the Academy. T'Pol's eyes narrowed; the two were the same person.

T'Pol knew that, despite the new information, one question remained unanswered; how had the de-aged Arianne made it from El-Auria 2161 to San Francisco, Earth 2231?

Had it not been for Ensign Pike being able to shield her mind and end the meld, T'Pol knew that she would have been able to get all pertinent information about the situation.

Kidnapping and torturing Cadet James Kirk half to death had done nothing to help either and after the kidnapping, Serij had retreated to Vulcan to avoid arrest by Starfleet authorities.T'Pol was now regretting not kidnapping Ensign Pike again for more information.

For now, however, T'Pol reasoned that she could contact Admiral Archer and share with him the information about his lost fiancee being found and reborn; he would likely have a fit.

Closing the files, T'Pol moved over to the comlink and inputted a message; she then sent it off to Admiral Archer's mail reciever. He would most likely get it soon, if not right away.

A quick glance at the chronometer above the replicator told T'Pol that it was time to wake Lorian, get him sustenance, and begin him on his daily studies. A reply could surely wait.

* * *

**_Starfleet Command - Captain Pike's Office_**

Gazing at the bloodstained phaser rifle that Security had brought to his office, Chris sighed and set it on his desk; a search for the attackers was still underway with no plausible leads.

The only thing that had been discovered was that the phaser rifle had come from a Starfleet supply shack in Alameda that had been allegedly abandoned after the earthquake in .

Chris suspected that Section 31 had been responsible for the whole thing and that they were acting to avenge Kodos, who had made life terrible for both Jim and Arianne when they were younger because of civilian fear, recklessness and neglect; many had suffered and died by it.

Unfortunately, most who had survived the massacre were either off-planet and remaining as anonymous as they could or they were in Starfleet, but far away and unreachable.

Arianne knew about Section 31 and the Tarsian Order, yes, but Chris didn't want to delay her recovery by asking her to relive those memories; he wouldn't subject her to that stress.

Speaking of Arianne, Chris realized, he should call home and see if she was resting per his orders and let her know that Jim would be all right, as a call from Dr. Puri had confirmed that.

Letting out a tired sigh, Chris turned on his vid-feed and sent a hailing frequency to the comlink that was in his living room; it beeped three times and then a familiar face appeared.

"Lady Amanda, I was expecting Arianne to answer the vid-feed," Chris said, taking great care to sound polite instead of shocked or concerned. "Not that it's not pleasant to see you-"

Despite only being on a vid-screen, Amanda's smile was obvious, "It's perfectly all right to be surprised, Captain Pike," she replied in a pleasant tone. "How is Cadet Kirk doing?"

"Cadet Kirk will be fine thanks to Doctor McCoy," Chris replied. "I hate to sound rude, Lady Amanda, but why are you at my house? Is everything all right with Arianne?"

Amanda nodded, "We ran into each other when she was walking back to your house," she replied pleasantly, hoping she sounded convincing enough. "I walked her home."

"Oh, Lady Amanda, thank you so much for keeping an eye on Arianne," Chris replied in a relieved voice; he knew, however, that Amanda wouldn't be there unless something was wrong and that now wasn't the best time to ask, just to accept Amanda's words.

There was a brief silence and Chris could suddenly hear a whistling sound, "Oh, I borrowed your kettle to make some tea for Arianne on your stove," Amanda said in an anxious voice as she looked away from the screen. "I should go and tend to it since Arianne's asleep."

The vid-feed went off without warning and Chris sighed; he was ready to just fall asleep in his chair after being up all night. Arianne was obviously fine and he was too tired to think.

Chris slouched in his chair and was about to close his eyes when his computer beeped, indicating that a new message had just entered the email portion of his computer console.

Letting out an irritated sigh, Chris opened his email and the name of the sender caused him to sit up straight; he hadn't heard from Madame Guinan since Arianne had lived in Iowa.

_Captain Pike,_

_I have recieved Ensign Pike's message on Cadet Kirk's misfortune and I will be en route to San Francisco as soon as possible. As soon as I recieved the message, I did contact both Winona and Sam Kirk, however, neither wanted anything to do with the situation or with Cadet Kirk._

_Do not inform anyone that I am coming, but just be there for Cadet Kirk when you can._

_Thank Arianne for thinking of me as a person who could be of assistance._

_Madame Guinan_

Chris sighed and turned the computer off; he badly needed sleep before he could focus on anything else. It was disgusting that Jim had no family support, yet it was beyond his control for the moment. Later on, when he was rested, he would find a way to contact Winona about Jim; hopefully, she would come to her senses and start being a mother to her youngest son.

For now, all Chris could do is allow his eyes to close and grant him the sleep he craved.

Admiral Archer's Residence - Starfleet Command Housing Courtyard

Turning away from the computer screen, Jonathan fought the urge to vomit; he had just read a message from T'Pol in which she claimed that his Arianne and Arianne Pike were the same person and that de-aging had made the young lady look younger than she really was.

Yes, that baby he and Chris had found on the Starfleet Academy grounds did resemble Trip's old friend a great deal, but there was no way that she and Arianne Pike were the same.

Still, the whole resemblance between his Arianne and Ensign Pike was startling; T'Pol had included the most recent photos of both women with the message and it made him wonder if T'Pol's nonsense about a de-aging experiment was truth and if it had really happened.

If Ensign Pike WAS his beloved fiancee de-aged, Jonathan knew that he would eventually need to approach Ensign Pike with the information. However, being de-aged, Ensign Pike might not even have retained those memories and might think him a crazy liar and stalker.

Porthos suddenly rubbed against his leg and letting out a sigh, Jonathan gently pulled the beagle on to his lap; he had to find out how T'Pol had gotten this information and if there was more that she hadn't told him about Arianne. His love for HIS Arianne had never died away.

As he sat there, gently petting Porthos, Jonathan also knew that even if they had been lovers once, Ensign Pike was a very different person now with a very different past and present.

Jonathan sighed again and frowned; he would need more information on this new situation before he could attempt to do anything about it. Time and true patience were needed now.

* * *

_**Captain Pike's Residence - Starfleet Command Housing - 0800 H**_

Letting out a quiet yawn, Arianne opened her eyes and immediately knew she wasn't alone.

A quick sideways glance caused her to see Amanda seated in a nearby chair reading a PADD while keeping an eye on a large mug of something, "Lady Amanda?" Arianne croaked.

"Oh, you're awake," Amanda stated as she placed the PADD on the table and removed the mug from the table it sat on. "I stayed after escorting you home and made you some tea."

Arianne blinked, "Where's Spock?" she asked, confused. "He helped you walk me home."

"Spock is spending time with Sarek at the Embassy," Amanda replied, watching as Arianne slowly pulled herself into a sitting position. "Sarek will have to return to Vulcan very soon to attend to duties there, but I am remaining on Earth to spend time with both you and Spock. I was told by Spock to let you know to contact him when you are feeling better."

Nodding, Arianne was silent as Amanda placed the mug in her hands, "I will most likely need to return to Vulcan at the end of the month, but for now, you need me," Amanda explained in a gentle voice. "I know about the illness you battled recently and you need looking after."

Arianne remained quiet as she sipped the tea and Amanda sat on an ottoman that she had placed next to the couch earlier, "Even if you hadn't battled an illness, Arianne, I would still find a way to come and visit you," Amanda continued in a soothing voice. "I know you've been missing having a mother figure growing up and your father blames himself, I think."

"Dad's done his best," Arianne replied softly. "He adopted me when he didn't have to."

Amanda looked thoughtful, "When you're feeling better, I don't doubt you will find a way to express gratitude to him for being a good father," she stated gently. "For now, however, I want you to rest and actually let someone look after you. You are not invincible, Arianne."

Arianne nodded; she had to start slowing down and take one day at a time; she had given that advice to both Jim and Leonard often enough and she ought to start following the advice.

Continuing to drink the tea, Arianne knew that once she was feeling stronger, her academics were only one part of the things that needed dealing with; strengthening her friendship with Jim, making friends with other cadets, and dealing with unresolved feelings for Leonard.

None of these tasks would be easy to accomplish, but her happiness could very well grow.

* * *

I would like some reviews, please. Reviews make me want to post the rest of the story!


	19. August 2256: Yesterday's Doors Unlocked

"_Doctor, tell her of T'Pol's de-aging experiment," a voice shouted from nearby. "Maybe she will consent!"_

_Sighing, the doctor nodded, "There is a way to save your life, however," he explained. "We have a process that will de-age you to the point of infancy, replace your blood type, and regenerate your organs to where they are not damaged at all. It is a risky procedure, but it may be the only way. Do you agree to do this?"_

_Knowing that being de-aged was better than death, even though she may never see Jonathan again, Arianne managed a weak nod. Unfortunately, all of her energy was now gone and she immediately closed her eyes._

_Closing the pod, the doctor connected a tube to a hole on the side of it. He then nodded to a scientist that lingered at a nearby console. Smiling, the scientist began to work the controls at a rapid pace._

_/  
_

_"...Guardian of Forever, I request thine assistance," an El-Aurian man said as he and two El-Aurian women, one of who was carrying a swaddled baby in her arms, approached the large structure. The woman not holding the child was dark-skinned and clad in purple; she was very unique_

_Light flashed from inside the large, rock-like structure, "Guinan, where should Rondau and us take Arianne to keep her safe from harm?" the fair-skinned woman asked the other woman._

_"...I foresee a place that will help the child grow," a deep voice suddenly boomed from the rock._

_The three looked at the rock curiously; a holo-image of the Golden Gate Bridge suddenly faded into view and quickly changed into a view of what looked like a high-tech college campus._

_"It looks safe enough," Rondau reasoned as he studied the images. "What is that place?"_

_Again, the deep voice spoke, "Alas, I cannot put you there right away," it said. "I can, however, place you within distance of this location. It is the safest chance for a comfortable survival."_

_"Rondau, we must do this," the fair-skinned woman spoke. "From what Guinan has said, Starfleet is investigating the accident and if they find Arianne here, we will lose her."_

_Rondau nodded, "Guardian, come to our aid," he whispered faintly. "May God forgive us."_

_With a sigh, Riaa and Guinan joined hands and Rondau took his wife's hand, "This is for Arianne's future, Riaa," he said as the three carried Arianne into the structure._

"...Ensign Pike?""

Arianne opened her eyes and saw that Spock was standing over her, "You became unconscious during the meld and I broke it off for your safety," Spock explained in an unusually gentle tone. "However, I was able to view some pertinent memories."

After Amanda had returned to Vulcan, Arianne had sought Spock out to take him up on his offer to serve as a counselor to her. There were things she wanted to know and things she wanted to have healed.

Now that she was doing so, however, it became apparent that the past she knew was not complete.

"I was dying and this experimentation saved my life by regenerating me," Arianne said in a weak voice as she slowly sat up on the couch where she had laid to let Spock perform the meld. "I-"

Spock raised a hand, "You are making yourself anxious," he stated in a firm voice. "Please desist with this worrying and relax while I prepare some spice tea to calm your nerves."

"I'm just a freak, Spock," Arianne stated in a toneless voice. "Tea isn't necessary."

Spock raised an eyebrow and sat on the couch beside Arianne, "Once this gets out, nobody will want me around anymore, including my father," she continued. "I'm better off leaving."

"If you are in need of a respite from Earth, I can arrange for you to visit Vulcan-" Spock began in a surprisingly gentle voice; he was silently shocked when Arianne shook her head and scoffed.

Arianne rose from the couch, "Your mother and Ambassador Sarek should want nothing further to do with me," she said in a frightened tone. "I'm just a freak of science, Spock; not a person."

"Arianne," Spock replied, his tone one of concerned sincerity. "You are not a freak of science."

Tears came to Arianne's eyes and she turned away from Spock, "Thank you for helping me to understand where I came from," she said in a whispery voice. "I need some time to think about this."

"You have been given a chance to relive your life," Spock stated in a quiet voice. "Embrace it."

Arianne sighed, "Spock, as helpful as you are trying to be, it's not helping," she replied softly.

"It seems illogical to run away and hide simply because of this information," Spock stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Others with unique circumstances surrounding their origins cannot simply run and hide themselves from life. Life is something that cannot be avoided simply because one is afraid."

Arianne nodded and inched towards the door, "Thank you, Spock," she whispered; her voice was full of despair and her eyes full of tears. "I'll talk to you later, after I've had some time to think."

Spock raised an eyebrow, but nodded and remained silent as Arianne quickly left his dwelling.

With a sigh, he sank to the floor in a meditative pose; he wanted to help, but needed time to think.

* * *

_**Patient Room - Starfleet Medical - 0900**_

"Mmm," Jim moaned as he struggled to open his eyes. "So...numb."

Jim let out another groan as silence greeted him and opened his eyes, only to see that Leonard was sitting beside the bed. A tray holding a bowl full of applesauce sat on the portable table.

"Bones," Jim croaked weakly, suddenly realizing that it was an effort to talk. "...tired."

Leonard nodded, "I know, Jim, but you gotta start getting your strength up," he said as he tied a small 'apron' around Jim's neck; it covered the shoulder sling and cast, but it was very loose.

"What-?" Jim asked groggily. "Bones, I'm not a baby. I don't need a bib."

Ignoring Jim's protests, Leonard picked up the spoon and filled it with applesauce, "Just be quiet kid and let me feed you," he said in a firm tone. "You need the food badly."

Fighting to stay awake, Jim remained quiet as Leonard fed him and soon enough, the bowl was empty. Jim looked ready to fall back asleep, but Leonard wanted to talk to him first.

"Jim, what's the last thing you can remember?" Leonard asked as he gazed up at the overhead monitor and back down at his friend. "I know you're tired, but I'd like for you to think hard."

Jim sighed and blinked, "I was up early to go to a library before going to speak at Soval's trial," he replied in a faint voice. "Some guy came to the door...can't remember anything else."

"All right, we'll work on filling in the blanks later," Leonard stated, not wanting Jim to end up stressed enough to relapse. "You're in really good hands right now, Jim, so just relax."

Leonard carefully removed the apron from around Jim's neck, which prompted Jim to look down at his arm, "How'd I break my arm?" Jim asked in a groggy voice.

"You dislocated your shoulder AND broke your arm," Leonard replied gently. "I couldn't use bone knitters on your arm, so it has to heal naturally. Your ankles were re-broken too, but they're on the mend and your jaw was broken; hence, I had to wire your mouth shut."

Jim nodded and suddenly winced, "My head," he moaned in a weak voice. "Hurts."

Leonard nodded, but before he could get up to get a craniotherapy scanner, the door slid open and a dark-skinned woman clad in a purple dress and unusual hat silently entered the room.

Jim's eyes suddenly widened, "Madame Guinan?" he asked, his voice trembling with shock.

"Hello James," Madame Guinan replied in a gentle voice as she moved over to the left side of Jim's hospital bed; she silently gave him a reassuring glance to tell him that he wasn't alone. "Arianne let me know what happened to you and I came as soon as I could. How are you feeling?"

Jim sighed, "Very tired," he replied in a faint voice. "I can't remember how I ended up here yet."

"Well, maybe you're not supposed to remember right now," Madame Guinan said in a reassuring tone as she sat down on a stool that had been left there. "Maybe you're just supposed to heal."

"Madame Guinan, can you thank Arianne for me?" Jim asked in a weak voice. "I would, but—"

Madame Guinan nodded and patted Jim's shoulder reassuringly, "Get some rest, James," she said in a tone of gentle patience. "We can talk when you're stronger. I'll be around San Francisco for a while."

Allowing his drooping eyes to close, Jim nodded and mumbled sleepily, "Doctor McCoy, we should probably let James rest for a while," Madame Guinan said in a gentle tone. He will be just fine."

Leonard nodded and left the room with Madame Guinan, "If you know where Arianne might be, Doctor McCoy, I would enjoy visiting with her," she said as they walked down the long sterile corridor.

"Knowing Ensign Pike, she's probably either at home or at the Academy library," Leonard stated in a toneless voice, as he did not want to discuss Arianne with this stranger. "She's quite a hard worker."

Madame Guinan looked thoughtful, "If you'll point me in the direction of a good library, I think I will seek her out myself," she said in a gentle tone. "I don't wish to use up any more of your valuable time."

Leonard frowned, "I'm not even supposed to be on duty here today anyway," he replied. "I only come in on my days off if Jim ends up needing medical attention. He's very picky about who treats him."

Madame Guinan nodded, "Academy library's on limited hours for the summer, so I imagine that Arianne would go to a civilian library and stay there most of the day," Leonard continued, curious about the smile Guinan had about Jim's picky nature. "The closest one is near the civilian shuttleport and the beach."

Secretly wanting to see Arianne, Leonard offered his arm like the Southern gentleman he was raised to be. "If you'd like, I can escort you there on a shuttle and help you try and find Ensign Pike."

Giving Leonard a curious smile, Guinan took his arm and together, they left Jim to sleep peacefully.

* * *

_**Civilian Shuttleport – San Francisco**_

_Enter ID information and method of payment._ The screen flashed at Arianne, causing her to wince.

Swallowing hard, Arianne stepped away and jammed her hands in the pocket of her long jeans, wishing that she had dressed in something warmer to wear than boots, jeans, and a t-shirt. She had stupidly left her civilian money back at her father's house; all she wanted to do was run away to Vulcan to hide.

Unfortunately, the off-campus shuttles to Vulcan cost a pile of credits that she didn't have and if she tried to run away on an Academy shuttle, her father would want to ask her what was wrong and why.

Arianne sighed and pounded the machine with regret filling her heart; her father should have never adopted her as a baby and given her hope that everything would be normal from that point on.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne moved away from the machine and walked over to the beach that was near the shuttleport and provided a calming view for the occasional alien refugees that came to Earth.

Slipping her boots off, Arianne travelled across the sand barefoot and moved into the water; she enjoyed the feeling of the cold water lapping at her feet. It made her feel as if life was beautiful.

Legally, Arianne knew that she was Arianne Christine Pike, daughter of Christopher Pike and that any information about whatever past life she had was irrelevant. However, it was a part of her now.

The flashes of memory she had of coming aboard the Enterprise NX-01 as an officer and being greeted by a gentle Commander had been her own, Arianne realized. She had actually been a Lieutenant aboard that famous vessel and had seen both the Delphic Expanse and the infamous Xindi species.

A sharp realization suddenly came to Arianne; she didn't have to speculate on what that life was like for her back then, she could ask someone what it had been like; history books couldn't tell her that.

According to the history classes she had taken in her first two semesters, Admiral Archer had been the Captain of the NX-01 and would no doubt remember the crew of his ship, including her.

However, Arianne also knew that it would be rather awkward if she suddenly approached Admiral Archer and explained everything; he would no doubt call her crazy or even want her committed.

Maybe it would just be easier to forget that it had ever happened, Arianne thought; the people who had ensured her survival had gone to great lengths to make sure that her second chance at living was more than satisfactory. Chris Pike didn't have to adopt her either, but he had lovingly done so.

Starfleet had been kept in the dark about this and for it, Arianne was grateful. She didn't want or need the negative attention that she and her father would get if this part of her existence ever got out.

Besides, living life all over again wasn't so bad, Arianne thought; she suddenly began thinking of how her friendship with Jim had made life easier. Even now, being a person with invisible disabilities wasn't easy and her time at the University of San Francisco had reminded her that humanity still needed fixing.

Starfleet, on the other hand, welcomed people with the desire to learn and grow with open arms and found a place for them according to what they were willing to work on. It had worked for her, it had allowed Jim to blossom from a shell into a fighter, and it had allowed Doctor McCoy to flourish.

Arianne sighed and ignored the tingling feeling in her spine; she had originally viewed Leonard McCoy as a patient who had needed her help to break open his hard shell. Yes, he was still officially one of her patients who still had a lot of ground to cover, but she was beginning to have feelings for him too.

Unfortunately, Arianne doubted that Leonard would ever reciprocate those feelings due to her invisible disabilities and the fact that she would have a tough time bearing children. A distressed sigh escaped her lips.

The time spent with him as hostages on that frozen wasteland had prompted her to actually consider the possibility that they would need to eventually start living a life together. His arms around her…

Arianne sighed and moved out of the water, unaware that the sky had grown dark. Her first awareness to the brewing summer storm was the sudden rumble of thunder overhead and falling raindrops.

Her eyes wide, Arianne ran across the sand and grabbed her boots. She then ran down the footpath towards the nearest building, which happened to be the public library as it suddenly became colder.

The rain was merciless on Arianne, pounding down on her very fragile body and preventing her from moving as quickly as she wanted to. Her clothing was soon soaked and it chilled her to the bone.

As she approached the front entrance to the library, Arianne suddenly began to feel as if her body was a sandbag that needed to be dropped. It was so cold and all she wanted to do was fall asleep.

* * *

_**Civilian Library**_

Lightning flashed as Leonard and Guinan walked through the computer area; they had been at the library for nearly 20 minutes and Arianne was nowhere to be found. It was somewhat concerning.

The silence was unnerving to Leonard, as was the fact that nobody appeared to be in the vast building besides himself, Madame Guinan, and the librarian. A rainy day seemed to keep the readers away.

Now, while Guinan wandered off into a row of books to search for Arianne, Leonard found his attention slowly drawing towards a rack that contained the latest medical information stored on PADDs. Dr. Puri had specifically instructed him to use up-to-date medical information to put together the final exam.

"Miss, don't touch that data port!" an anxious voice suddenly yelled from near the entrance.

Leonard turned just in time to see a well-dressed, frail looking old man hurry away from the circular information desk towards a drenched female whose back was turned and whose hand was extended towards a touch-sensitive databank. Swallowing hard, Leonard moved over to the librarian.

"Miss, I'm a doctor," Leonard stated in a cautious tone, as he wasn't sure if this drenched individual would turn around and shoot him; he was very concerned about what type of individual would come into a public civilian library completely drenched and barefoot. "I can help you if you let me."

There was silence and Arianne turned, "Doctor McCoy?" she asked, the shock of the whole session with Spock still very fresh in her mind; she watched his expression change from concerned to shocked.

"What in heaven's name are you doing running around San Francisco barefoot and soaking wet?" Leonard asked, ignoring the gasp of the frightened librarian. "Are you trying to commit suicide?"

Arianne sighed, "I was walking on the beach and I didn't realize it was going to storm," she replied in a professional tone, quickly pretending as if nothing were bothering her. "I came in here for shelter."

"I didn't think you were supposed to be running around San Francisco like a wild horse," Leonard commented in a concerned voice. "If I remember correctly, you still need to take it easy."

Arianne glared at Leonard, but before she could offer a retort, she saw Madame Guinan emerge from the rows of bookshelves containing updated PADDs. The two women stared at each other silently.

"Madame Guinan, I need to talk to you," Arianne stated in a gentle, yet very firm tone.

Madame Guinan nodded, but Leonard frowned, "What you need to do right now is get out of those clothes, into a warm shower, and into some dry clothes that you can get some rest in."

"Arianne, perhaps you had better listen to this young man," Madame Guinan suggested in a gentle tone as she moved forward to stand beside Leonard and the librarian. "You wouldn't want to end up sick."

Leonard nodded and reached out for Arianne's hand, "Come on, let's go back to my dorm," he offered, seeing pain and pure terror in her eyes. "It was remodeled earlier this summer and now I have a full living room, kitchen, bathroom, and two beds in a separate sleeping area. Trust me, darlin; it's safe."

As Arianne looked into his hazel eyes, she suddenly thought back to the time that they had spent together on that desolate planet and also about all they had experienced together as fellow students.

"Arianne?" Leonard asked, suddenly worried that she was going into shock because of her condition.

Swallowing hard, Arianne extended her shaking hand and slipped It into Leonard's; she was surprised by his gentle grip as she allowed him to lead her from the quiet library and over to a small elevator. She was unaware that Madame Guinan was following after them out of deep concern over her health.

"This goes down to a little underground train that takes us right back to the Academy," Leonard explained in a soft voice as he pressed the button. "From there, we can arrange some transportation."

As they walked into the elevator, Arianne felt Leonard slip his arm around her and gently sit her on a small bench that was in the elevator; she rested her head on his chest and suddenly felt tired.

Unaware that Madame Guinan was watching her and Leonard interact with a curious smile on her face, Arianne promptly fell asleep.

* * *

"…_.I have always considered Arianne to be extraordinary and she hasn't yet proven me wrong…"_

"…_out of curiosity, Madame Guinan, how long have you known Ensign Pike for?"_

Intense warmth was the first thing that Arianne felt as she slowly came back to awareness; she could also feel something very soft underneath her and heard nothing, save for soft classical music.

Arianne opened her eyes and immediately saw a neatly made bed across the room from where she was lying; there was a desk next to that bed that had several PADDs and a stylus stacked on top of it. She also saw her jeans and shirt folded over the small chair and her boots on the floor.

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne sat up and, looking down, she saw that she was wearing an over-sized blue medical shirt that covered a sleeveless workout top; her legs were covered by sweatpants.

Arianne slowly moved her legs over the side of the bed, but when she started to stand, a sudden wave of dizziness caused her to sit and let a weak groan escape her lips. Her body felt so weak and sore.

Unfortunately for her, Arianne soon saw Leonard enter the room with a med-kit in hand and a very concerned expression on his tired face. "It's good to finally see you awake," he said in a gruff, yet very relieved tone. "You fell asleep in the elevator at the library and I carried you back to my dorm."

"It looks more like a fancy apartment than a dormitory," Arianne replied in a tired voice.

Leonard shrugged and, opening the med-kit, he took out a medical tricorder and scanned her with it.

"This says that you're fine, but how do you feel?" Leonard asked in a gentle voice as he looked at her.

Arianne sighed, "Very sore and weak," she replied, feeling as if she couldn't lie to Leonard at all.

"Well, I replicated you some chicken soup if you feel like eating," Leonard stated. "You've been asleep for most of the day and it's almost suppertime. Do you feel like getting up and eating?"

Arianne nodded and slowly stood up, relieved when Leonard put an arm around her, "Just walk slowly," he cautioned her as they moved towards the door. "I don't want you fainting on me now, okay?"

As they moved out of the sleeping area and into the common area, Arianne saw Madame Guinan seated on the small couch reading an old-fashioned book. Madame Guinan smiled at seeing Arianne.

"Madame Guinan, I need to talk to you," Arianne said as she was led over to the table and sat in one of the chairs by Leonard; in front of her sat a large bowl of chicken soup with a spoon in it.

As if she knew what Arianne wanted to talk about, Madame Guinan put the book down on the coffee table, stood up, and walked over to the table. Leonard, however, gave Arianne a very stern look.

"I have to go do a shift at Starfleet Medical now and while I'm gone, you had better take it easy," Leonard stated in a gruff, yet very concerned tone. "Don't do anything that will cause a relapse."

Arianne nodded and was silent as Leonard nodded goodbye to Madame Guinan and left the dormitory.

"I feel like there's some tension between you and Doctor McCoy, Arianne," Madame Guinan said in a thoughtful tone as she sat next to her former student at the table. "Do you have feelings for him?"

Arianne sighed, "I don't know," she replied in a fearful voice. "Madame Guinan, I sought counseling from a Vulcan named Spock and he initiated a mind meld with me today at my request. Because of the mind meld, I was subjected to memories involving de-aging and interaction with a Gateway of sorts."

Guinan suddenly looked extremely thoughtful, "I wasn't at the medical center on the day that the El-Aurian scientists decided to do that, but I heard about it shortly thereafter," she explained in a gentle voice. "From what they told me, you were on the verge of death and regained consciousness for only what would have been your last moment. Rondau and Riaa were friends of mine who were unable to bear children naturally and when you agreed to the procedure, they agreed to take care of you."

Arianne nodded and began to slowly eat the soup, "It wasn't long, however, before Rondau and Riaa became fearful of Starfleet interference, as most El-Aurians were at the time," Guinan continued. "I understand their fear, though, as rumors were circulating about Starfleet opening an investigation into the USS Mandarin's destruction and the deaths of her entire crew. Fear was a very justified emotion."

"What would have happened if Starfleet had actually come to El-Auria?" Arianne asked, swallowing a mouthful of soup as she spoke; she hadn't really considered the what-ifs of her life until now.

Guinan sighed, "The de-aging process had once been presented to Starfleet as a possible way of helping suicidal or overly crippled individuals," she explained gently. "Unfortunately, while it had promise to help many, the process was deemed too dangerous to pursue and talk of it was banned from Starfleet."

Arianne's eyes widened, but she remained quiet and continued to eat, "Fearful that Starfleet would come, find the de-aging process had been initialized, and take you away, Rondau and Riaa came to me for help," Madame Guinan stated in a gentle voice. "Rondau used his government-level clearance to get us in a shuttle and off the planet. I then told them of a place where all time and space was known and cherished beyond all understanding; when they asked, I told them about Planet Gateway."

"Part of what Spock found in my mind was a memory of that," Arianne explained in a knowing voice, both scared and fascinated by this 'Gateway.' "It showed you San Francisco in 2231, didn't it?"

Madame Guinan nodded, "Unfortunately, Rondau was assimilated by the Borg in El-Aurian space once we arrived in 2231," she replied in a sorrowful tone. "Despite a very close call, Riaa and I made it to Earth with you. Riaa insisted that I take the shuttle and hide somewhere on Earth, but she was injured and I knew that I couldn't just leave. I stopped at the edge of the Academy campus and let Riaa take you on to the campus after which she insisted that I leave. I heard later that she had died that very night."

"From what my father told me, I was found on the grounds on New Year's Day, 2232," Arianne stated, relieved that her father had granted her access to records pertaining to her adoption. "He was a Captain who was pegged to take command of the Kelvin once it was done, but gave it up and adopted me."

Madame Guinan smiled, "Christopher Pike is a good man," she stated. "When I first received word that I would be Amanda Grayson's replacement at the school in Des Moines, I was excited for the challenges it would bring. Once I saw you were there, however, and that you had been adopted by Chris Pike, I was immensely relieved. It meant that Rondau and Riaa's choice and Riaa's sacrifice hadn't been in vain."

"I don't want anyone to know about this," Arianne stated, suddenly feeling protective of the life, family, and friendships she had acquired since being adopted by Christopher Pike. "It would ruin everything."

Guinan nodded and gently took Arianne's hand, "I won't ever tell anyone about our discussion, but I think you should at least tell your father," she said in a gentle voice. "He will love you anyway."

"I know Doctor McCoy said to take it easy, but I just want to go talk to my father," Arianne said in a tired voice as she finished off the soup. "Commander Spock helped me to understand myself better."

Swallowing hard, Arianne stood up, "Oh, Arianne, just so you know, I'm the one who changed you out of your wet clothes and into the ones that Doctor McCoy offered," Guinan stated with a coy smile. "I was getting the feeling that you were scared he had seen you indecently. He was out of the room for it."

"I'm still feeling a bit weak, Madame Guinan," Arianne stated in a faint voice. "Can you come over to my father's office with me so I don't faint on the way? I really don't want to go back to Starfleet Medical."

Guinan smiled and stood up, "Of course," she replied, gently taking Arianne's arm. "Did you want to change back into your street clothes before we go, or would you like to come back for them later?"

"I don't want something else to worry about right now," Arianne replied softly as she leaned heavily on Guinan for support while they moved towards the door. "Doctor McCoy can keep the street clothes."

Nodding thoughtfully, Madame Guinan put an arm around Arianne's waist as they left Leonard's dormitory and began walking down the long hallway towards the nearest turbolift.

"Perhaps it would benefit you to take some physical education classes during fall semester," Guinan gently stated as they neared the lift. "It's time for you to draw on the strength of body and mind."

Arianne nodded; perhaps now that she understood why she was so different, it would be easier to accept that nothing could be changed, nothing was left unsettled, and it was now okay to move on.

* * *

The sound of the door chime caused T'Pol to look up from her PADD. With a sigh, she rose and moved over to the door that separated her and Lorian's small dwelling from the rest of the Embassy's offices.

Pressing the admittance button, T'Pol was surprised to find her former Captain and friend, Jonathan Archer, lingering outside the door in civilian clothes with a scowl on his surprisingly youthful face.

"I thought Lorian was the only one who had undergone the de-aging procedure that you invented," Jonathan said in a voice that dared her to argue with him. "I guess that really wasn't the case."

Not wanting anyone to overhear the conversation they were about to have, T'Pol pulled Jonathan inside of the living space and shut the door. "I did not know that the El-Aurians were actually capable of developing the technology that supported my theory behind it," she hissed. "I only discovered that Ensign Pike had undergone the process very recently after comparing the bio-files between her and that belonging to your lost fiancé. My determination is that they are the same person, however."

"When Starfleet finally got to El-Auria, they found no evidence of the Mandarin's crew or of any technology that could explain the process," Jonathan replied in a frustrated tone. "How is it even possible that Arianne travelled a great deal of time and distance without anything being noticed?"

T'Pol was silent for a moment and then her eyes widened; she remembered visiting the Gateway Site on Vulcan several months earlier. The structure had mentioned that history between the El-Aurian species and Starfleet had already been altered; it had also said that the one who altered it was findable.

"I have a theory that a Gateway structure was used to conceal her identity," T'Pol stated in a matter-of-fact tone as she glared at Jonathan through tired eyes. "However, I do not have enough evidence—"

Jonathan looked almost sick at this point, "You were involved in the frequent kidnappings of Cadet Kirk and Ensign Pike from Academy campus, weren't you?" he asked, swallowing hard. "Were you also involved in the kidnapping and holding of Ensign Pike and Doctor McCoy for that three month period?"

"I was not," T'Pol replied bluntly. "Lucas Reed of Section 31 was responsible for the other kidnappings."

Even though he didn't fully believe T'Pol, Jonathan sighed, "T'Pol, I recommend you come forward with this information and take whatever punishment is given to you," he said in a distressed voice. "If you do that, I'll help you through it however I can. You need to take responsibility for your actions, though."

T'Pol was silent for a few moments and then swiftly nerve pinched Jonathan. As he hit the floor, T'Pol lifted him up and carried him over to a small transporter pad that was in the corner of the sitting room.

Quickly laying him on the pad, T'Pol quickly ran over to a small console and quickly programmed a set of co-ordinates that would keep her former friend safe. She then initiated the transport.

As Jonathan de-materialized, T'Pol sighed and moved over to the communications terminal that was on the wall near the kitchen area. She activated the comm-link and typed out a very familiar number.

"I need you to transport to my dwelling as soon as is convenient," T'Pol stated in a whispery voice as a hooded figure appeared on the small screen. "Jeris is in need of assistance with his assignment."

The hooded figure was silent for a moment and then let out a small chuckle, "It shall be done, my dearest T'Pol," it replied in a gentle, rolling accent. "Mestral would have wanted no less for me."

"I shall send the co-ordinates at once," T'Pol replied as she worked at the console; she fully intended to contact Jeris for a meeting once her friend had arrived at the Embassy safe and sound.

* * *

_**Captain Pike's Office – Starfleet Command – 1700**_

It had taken three hours and several boxes of replicated tissues, but it was done. The story was told.

Balled up, heavily used tissues littered the floor of the office and Arianne was seated on the visiting couch hunched over and with her hands covering her face.

Guinan was seated next to Arianne with a reassuring arm around the terrified girl. Chris sat behind his desk looking both shocked and intrigued.

"…If you want to disown me, Captain Pike, I'll understand," Arianne stated in a trembling voice, not daring to look at Chris as she tried to calm herself down. "I sought answers from Spock about why I was having those strange memories and for that, I am grateful. My search for answers is complete."

Chris sighed, his heart going out to his distressed daughter; he had suspicions about the use of de-aging ever since Boyce had examined Arianne as a baby. However, along with the procedure being illegal according to Starfleet law, he had been quite fond of Arianne and had wanted someone to call family.

Letting out a sigh, Chris rose from his desk and walked over to the couch. He took a seat on the other side of Arianne and motioned for Guinan to let him console his daughter, which she quickly did.

"My blessed daughter," Chris said in a soothing voice as he put a fatherly arm around Arianne and drew her close to him. "How could I not love you even now? You are a very extraordinary girl and I love you even more than before this information came to light. Arianne, sweetheart, look at me please."

Arianne lifted her head and gazed at Chris, surprised to see that he had a warm, compassionate expression on his face, "What are you referring to me as Captain Pike for, kiddo?" Chris asked in an amused expression. "That's only when you're in a class I'm teaching or should you want to come serve on the Enterprise after you graduate from the Academy. You can call me Dad at any other time."

"Thank you, Dad," Arianne whispered, feeling relieved that her father would be there for her if nobody else ended up staying by her side; a sudden feeling of worry crept into her heart about Jim.

Looking up at her father, Arianne sighed, "I have to tell Jim about this," she replied in a worried voice as he released her. "We've never kept secrets from each other and I don't want to start doing that now."

"Cadet Kirk's still in bad shape," Chris stated gently. "Give him some more time to heal."

Arianne nodded; she knew that Jim was in bad shape after being kidnapped from Admiral Archer's residence and subject to thoughtless torture all for want of whatever information his captor wanted.

"While we're on the subject of time, Arianne, I need to talk to you about something," Chris stated, knowing that his news would upset her, but help her grow despite of it. "From what I hear the Enterprise is coming along nicely, but I need to go check on her and then I need to go on an international recruiting campaign for able-bodied men and women to help run the ship when it's completed. I'll be gone for about three months and I'd rather you stayed in the dorms while I'm gone. I leave at the end of August and the Command apartments aren't really for Academy cadets, you know."

Arianne swallowed hard, "I don't really know of anyone who would accept me as a roommate," she replied in a worried voice. "After all that happened this last year, I think people are afraid of me."

"I did some checking and there's a free room in a dorm in Boyce Hall," Chris stated, giving Arianne a reassuring smile. "The dorm is shared by a nursing student named Christine Chapel and a history major named Marla McGivers. I've already asked them if you could stay there and they are okay with it."

Arianne let out a sigh of relief at not having to be completely alone until Jim got better. "So, Dad, tell me and Madame Guinan more about what you'll be doing," she said in an intrigued voice as she smiled.

As Chris began to go into detail about his new assignment, Arianne looked at Madame Guinan and saw a reassuring look in her former teacher's eyes; everything would turn out okay and she would be fine.

* * *

_**Underworld Station Alpha - Alameda, California**_

Serij scowled, but remained silent as he watched T'Pol settle Lorian to sleep in a crib-like bed in the room that she had claimed for the night. "It was foolish to bring your child, T'Pol," he hissed.

"There was nobody at the Embassy to watch Lorian," T'Pol replied crisply. "I, therefore, made a plausible excuse relating to diplomatic affairs and am going to spend the night here. Both the High Command and Starfleet officials know this place as a scientific research facility, so my presence here is logical."

As T'Pol hovered over the sleeping Lorian, Serij scowled, "I do not need a baby-sitter to finish my assignment, T'Pol," he stated in a cold tone. "If you let me kill Soval, my job will be half-completed."

"You are half-Vulcan, yet you act more like a human," T'Pol replied in a tone of utter disgust. "Your carelessness has resulted in near-discovery several times, so you obviously require assistance to complete your assignment."

Serij scoffed, but before he could reply, the door to T'Pol's temporary dwelling slid open and a tall cloaked figure swept into the room and immediately stopped in front of the bed where Lorian slept. Serij gasped quietly.

The figure chuckled and lowered its hood, revealing a tan man with cold eyes and dark, slicked back hair sporting a red shirt, dark pants, and dark boots under his dark cloak. He gave T'Pol a courteous, almost charming smile.

"I am Khan Noonien Singh," the man spoke in an eloquent accent as he gave Serij a nod. "You must be Serij?"

Serij nodded politely, not wanting to incite the wrath of this mysterious stranger. "I have learned much of your tragic life story from reading Vulcan history," Khan stated in a sympathetic tone. "I, myself, have an equally tragic story, so I can sympathize. My fellow Augments and I were en route to a destination far beyond the stars and we came across the horrific sight of a starship exploding into a massive vessel as hundreds of damaged escape pods and small shuttles floated away from the wreckage. The magnitude of the wreckage must have turned us around because we awoke on Vulcan's surface."

"Augments?" Serij asked, slightly confused by the term. "Were you genetically engineered?"

Khan chuckled and gave Serij a gentle look as a parent would a very confused and lost child. "My dear young man, I was created by Mestral of Vulcan in India as an experiment long before your time," he stated in a soothing voice as he patted Serij on the shoulder reassuringly. "Mestral didn't remain on Earth for the rest of his life, choosing to expand his genetic research with the help of Noonien Soong in a place where such things were not deemed dangerous or highly illegal. Yet, I remained in India and worked diligently to earn respect and notoriety."

"I am working on arranging clearance for Khan to become an Academy Instructor this semester for a special class that will cater to those of extraordinary academic and social talent," T'Pol stated, gazing at the mystified Serij. "The class should no doubt attract they who will provide useful information. If you have the patience to listen, Khan will explain to you how you will be a useful assistant for this class."

Serij looked intrigued and fell silent as Khan again began to speak and explain about the new class and how his assistance would prove useful to its execution.

* * *

_**Admiral Archer's Residence – Starfleet Command Housing – 1900**_

The feeling of something warm and wet on his face caused Jonathan to open his eyes in a hurry.

"Porthos," Jonathan whispered, wincing as he saw his eager beagle standing before him; pain shot through his body, yet all he wanted to do was stand and return to T'Pol's to continue talking.

However, as Jonathan slowly sat up, he saw that he was on the transporter pad within his own house and quickly realized that T'Pol must have transported him home; the discussion must have finished.

There was no way he could go to Starfleet Security or JAG with the information that T'Pol and Serij had been involved with the kidnappings and attacks, as he would have to reveal the truth about Ensign Pike as well. Ensign Pike was a good girl who had already endured a lot and didn't need anymore stress.

With a sigh, Jonathan got to his feet and moved off the pad, "Porthos, if all that information T'Pol told me is true, what am I supposed to do with what I now know?" he asked in a concerned voice as he moved into the living room and sank down on to the couch. "That type of experimentation is illegal."

Porthos responded by jumping on to the couch and settling in next to Jonathan, "Both Chris and Ensign Pike would be devastated if they found out what T'Pol and I both know," Jonathan murmured as he gently stroked Porthos and slouched to relax. "I can't tell anyone about this; it would cause chaos."

Jonathan took a deep breath to relax; he could and would never tell anyone, especially Chris and Arianne Pike about what T'Pol had confided in him.

As far as he could remember, Jonathan thought, he would be one of Ensign Pike's instructors come fall term and he could just keep an eye on her there.

As Jonathan closed his eyes to rest, he knew that it was bad enough that Cadet Kirk had suffered by being exposed to an unhealthy amount of radiation at birth, served as an unwilling witness to the whole Tarsus incident, and was battered by family and civilians until his unusual enrollment at the Academy.

If the truth about Ensign Pike's past ever got out into the public, all chaos would break loose worldwide. Nobody deserved chaos, especially not Ensign Pike.

* * *

_**Can I please have some reviews so I can continue this story happily?**_


	20. September 2256: Outsider In A Crowd

_**Outdoor Amphitheater – Starfleet Academy – 0500**_

The sun's rays glistened over the Pacific Ocean as the sun began to rise towards its place in the sky.

From where she was standing on the amphitheater platform, Arianne thought the sight was absolutely breathtaking, as was the warm weather. Even so, she wore a long jacket over her cadet reds that day.

Her father hadn't left until nearly the end of August, Arianne reflected as she gazed out at the bay, as he wanted to help her move into her new dorm in Boyce Hall. When they had brought her things over, Christine and Marla had both been there, but had steered clear of them for the most part.

After her father had gone, however, Christine had come forward and welcomed her into the dorm, promising that they would be great friends. Marla, however, had remained buried in the endless historical PADDs that she constantly borrowed from the Academy library, as per her major.

Arianne had left while Christine and Marla were still asleep; she hadn't gone for a long walk across the campus since that rainstorm in August and she needed alone time. The last few weeks in August had been quiet and she hadn't heard from Jim at all; he must have been taking his time to recuperate.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne pulled out her stylus and reviewed the day's schedule; her first class wasn't until eight and that was 'Command Fitness I' with some teacher known to everyone as J. Harriman. That was her only class in the morning, as it went for two hours; in the afternoon was 'Starship Medical Simulations I' from 1300 to 1500 and 'Kobyashi Maru Preparation' from 1600 to 1700.

Arianne sighed; she thought the evening would be free for resting and studying, but her schedule listed 'The Finer Points of Survival' with a Professor Khan that ran from 1800 to 2100. All of the classes were required for her to graduate both tracks in three years and secretly, Arianne enjoyed the challenge.

Closing the window that held her daily schedule, Arianne tapped the stylus again and brought up the list of classes for the semester along with their respective days and times. She began to study the list.

_Pike, Arianne C._

_Rank: Ensign_

_Track: Command & Medical_

_Semester: Fall 2256_

_Classes: _

'_Command Fitness I (Annual Bridge Qualification Prep)' – M, W, F – J. Harriman - 0800 to 1000_

'_Xenolingustics' – M, T, W, TH – Commander Spock – 1100 to 1200_

'_Starship Medical Simulations I' – Dr. Puri/Dr. Phlox- M, W – 1300 to 1500_

'_Kobyashi Maru Prep' – M, T, W, TH, F – J. Archer - 1600 to 1700_

'_Finer Points of Survival' – M, F – Assembly Hall - Professor Khan - 1800 to 2100_

'_Counseling Services' _

'_Physical Fitness' – M, T, W, TH, F, SA – Time Pending – See Dr. Puri or Dr. Phlox._

Biting her lip, Arianne sighed; she had taken most of the basic Command courses in her first year and it had no less than exhausted her to near tears some nights. She had been starting the basic medical courses in the summer when the cancer had suddenly come up. Instead of failing her, however, Puri had graciously adjusted the course assignments so that she could do essays from bed instead of simulations.

Other than that, Arianne had been on medical restriction all summer and knew she was a bit rusty.

Slipping the stylus into her coat pocket, Arianne hugged herself briefly before turning and walking down the amphitheater's steps. She still had to visit the campus store and get some things needed for class.

As Arianne began walking down the footpath that led to the Academy supply store, she was unaware of a pair of eyes watching her from behind a tree near one of the few running fountains on campus.

From behind the tree, Leonard sighed and ducked out of sight; he had promised Jim that he would see how Arianne was doing, as Jim was still a little sluggish and had chosen to sleep a little longer that day.

Leonard couldn't help but think about how beautiful Arianne was; yet, she seemed so lonely now.

A sudden beep caused Leonard to yank his stylus from his pocket; there was a message for him.

_Hey Sexy McCoy, wanna hook up after Kobyashi Maru prep today? There's a bar in Sausalito that I want to go to and after we get plastered, we can go back to Cochrane Hall for a sleepover._

_E. Dehner (you can call me Lizzie!)_

Rolling his eyes, Leonard quickly typed out a message that he was unavailable all day and that he did not want any further contact from her. His days were full of classes, hospital work, and looking after Jim.

As Leonard returned the stylus to his pocket, a small alarm buzzed on his watch and he realized that it was time to go back to the dorm and help Jim get ready for the day. Admiral Archer had 'fired' Jim as a teacher's aide and had offered the recovering Jim the chance to room with Leonard again.

Hoping that the only dramatic point in his day would be that creepy message from Elizabeth Dehner, who had been pursuing him since last spring, Leonard sighed and hightailed it back to his dormitory.

* * *

_**Briefing Hall – Bridge/Mission Simulation Complex - 0800**_

"…It is my job to bring you all up to snuff as far as taking a command role goes," Commander Harriman said in a strict voice as he stood at the head of the table and stared at the 100 cadets who had chosen to take his class that semester. "I am tough, but very fair about how I teach and I do not play favorites."

When he was met with silence, Commander Harriman grabbed a stack of stylus notes from his spot at the table and walked around the room, passing out a stylus to every tenth person until he had no more in his hand. Arianne sighed as she read hers; they were being given a baseline qualification exam.

"To see where people are at in terms of their present abilities to command, there will be what I call a baseline Bridge exam today," Commander Harriman stated, nothing but seriousness coming across in his rugged facial features as he returned to the front. "I have passed out information to ten individuals who I wish to serve in a leadership capacity for this class. The objective of your 'mission' and the individuals who will make up your crew is included in the information, as is the sim room you will be using."

Arianne sighed and looked over the information that Commander Harriman had given her; she would be in charge of a group that included Leonard, Jim, Gaila, Nyota, Elizabeth Dehner, Christine, and Hikaru Sulu. Their 'mission' was to initiate First Contact with a civilization that only had pre-warp technology.

"All right, Captains, gather your crews and go to your assigned room," Commander Harriman stated in a firm tone as he gazed at his class. "I'll be monitoring all the simulations from here."

Swallowing hard, Arianne rose from her seat and turned to see that Gaila, Nyota, Elizabeth, Christine, and Hikaru had gathered near the exit door and were waiting for her. She looked around the room and saw that Leonard was helping Jim, who was in his reds, stand and move to join the rest of the group.

The group moved out of the briefing room in silence and into Simulation Room One very quickly.

Upon entering the 'Bridge' portion of the room, Arianne immediately moved over to the Command chair and took a seat. "Kirk, navigation," she said in a no-nonsense voice as she read the stylus over. "McCoy, tactical and shields; Uhura, Communications; Gaila, Engineering; Dehner, Science; Sulu, helm and Security; Chapel, Medical; Johnson, Auxiliary; Hannity, Operations; and Kennady, Enviro and Mission Ops. Everyone please take your stations and listen up. Our mission is to make First Contact with-"

"Ensign Pike, do you have any words of wisdom for us?" Elizabeth Dehner suddenly asked, remaining near the sim room door while everyone else moved to take their stations. "It would help us to be sure about you."

Silence settled over the Bridge and Arianne immediately felt all eyes on her, "Do you mind adding some clarity to that comment, Miss Dehner?" she asked as she stood up and turned to face Elizabeth.

"Well, it's not a secret around here that you've got some mental deficiencies," Elizabeth stated in a concerned tone as she walked over to the Command chair. "Commander Harriman obviously only chose you to lead this group because Captain Pike is your father. Are you really capable of a Captaincy?"

Jim scowled and made to move to Arianne's aid, but Leonard grabbed him. "Miss Dehner, if you have nothing remotely useful to say, please take your station," Arianne stated in a firm tone. "Now, as I was saying, our mission is to make First Contact with a pre-warp civilization that we know little about. Please gather as much information on this species as possible and report to me when you have it gathered."

"I would rather kiss a Klingon," Elizabeth replied frostily. "You have no place at this Academy with your mental defects, let alone on this Bridge. Go to a mental hospital where you can actually be useful."

Leonard's eyes widened, but before he could go forward and defend Arianne's honor, a loud alarm sounded over the intercom. "Participants in Simulation Room Four, please report to the briefing room immediately," the voice of Commander Harriman stated in a stern voice. "All others, keep working."

As everyone else headed towards the door, Elizabeth smirked at Arianne and then smiled flirtatiously at Leonard as he and Jim passed them. Leonard, however, ignored her gaze and whispered to Jim instead.

Once everyone else was out of the room, Arianne placed a hand on an arm of the command chair and caressed it silently; everyone had probably failed the exam because of Elizabeth's sudden outburst and Commander Harriman was probably going to personally ream her out for not maintaining order.

Even if they had failed, Arianne would not let it reflect badly on anyone else; she had been placed in charge of the group and she would take the responsibility for their deficits as their 'Captain.'

Mustering up her courage, Arianne moved out of the simulation room and into the briefing room; she saw that everyone was seated around the table and that Commander Harriman was near the door.

"Ah, Ensign Pike, welcome," Commander Harriman said in an official tone. "Please have a seat."

Arianne nodded and, ignoring the concerned looks of everyone else but Elizabeth, she quietly took a seat next to Christine. "All right, care to explain what happened in there?" Commander Harriman asked as he gazed at the group with an utter look of disdain on his face. "I have never seen such a-"

"Sir, the blame lies with me," Arianne spoke up as she got to her feet. "I was placed in charge."

Commander Harriman suddenly looked very surprised, but remained silent as he gazed at the rest of the group. "With all due respect, Commander Harriman, Ensign Pike was not given the respect she should have been given during the exercise," Jim suddenly said before Leonard could stop him. "I regret that."

"Do you, Cadet Kirk?" Commander Harriman asked in a skeptical tone. "Caring for someone includes intervening on their behalf when the opportunity to do so arises. I was watching the entire scenario from here, remember? It looked like Ensign Pike was very much alone with an insubordinate crew member in her company and left alone to deal with it instead of receiving support from the others."

Swallowing hard, Jim went silent and stared at the table; Commander Harriman had a good point.

"Confrontations like that will not be tolerated during the actual Bridge simulation exam," Commander Harriman stated in a firm tone as he took a seat at the head of the table. "Should such a thing happen during the exam, the initiator will be removed from the simulation and automatically fail the class."

When nobody spoke, Commander Harriman briefly looked at the screens that showed the progress the other groups were making. "Consider this a lesson you had better keep in mind when you do another practice simulation," he said as he looked up at the group. "All of you are dismissed but Ensign Pike."

"Washout," Elizabeth Dehner whispered as she passed by Arianne. "Go be useful somewhere else."

Arianne stared at the table as everyone else filed towards the door, not even looking up when she felt Jim give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Soon enough, the room was silent again.

"Sir, I know I could have handled that better—" Arianne began as she raised her head, only to be cut off by Commander Harriman who held up a hand to silence her; he gave her a concerned look.

Commander Harriman gave Arianne a look, "May I see your semester schedule, please?" he asked in a patient tone, enjoying the confused look that Arianne gave him as she took it out and handed it over.

"Hmm, it seems you're quite busy this semester," Commander Harriman stated as he studied Arianne's schedule. "Rumor among the other professors, however, is that you took 13 classes per semester last year and a summer medical class. I think it's quite ambitious that you would choose to pursue both a Command and a Medical track of classes. I am just concerned that you don't know how to relax."

Arianne sighed, "I get that trait from my father, sir," she replied, determined to be truthful.

"Well, I'm going to recommend that you take the 'Inner Fitness' class that is being taught by a Professor Guinan this semester," Commander Harriman stated as he tapped on Arianne's stylus several times before returning it to her. "It will help you learn how to achieve and maintain a healthy balance.

Arianne nodded and pocketed the stylus, "On a more personal note, Ensign Pike, I was wondering if I might recruit you to help me with my wife?" Commander Harriman asked in a worried voice. "Lara served on the Kelvin when she was younger. When we met just a few years ago in Florida during a spring break holiday, she told me that and assured me that she had sought counseling for PTSD. Anyway, we dated for several years and ended up getting married in 2253. I don't know what happened that triggered a relapse, but just last spring, Lara suffered a severe mental breakdown that left her unable to function in mainstream society. In desperation to help my wife, I got a job as an instructor here and admitted Lara to the Starfleet Medical Psychiatric Center for ongoing treatment. I was hoping that you would come and visit with her; perhaps show her that life isn't such a scary experience."

"I don't know much about what the whole Kelvin incident could have done to people, I'm afraid," Arianne replied in a worried voice. "The only person I know who has any idea about that is –"

Commander Harriman sighed, "I know about James Kirk already," he replied worriedly. "He is widely known to EVERYONE in Starfleet as the Kelvin baby and I'm sure it gets to him. If you wish to ask him to help you with Lara, feel free to. However, I'm not so sure he'll be so open to addressing that issue."

Arianne remained silent at that; she had only known Jim as a teenager and had never thought to ask him about his childhood and its woes. Then again, she had yet to tell him the big secret about her own life.

"I'll help your wife however I can," Arianne promised as she stood up. "Thank you for asking me."

Commander Harriman nodded, "Don't let idiots get you down about your limitations," he stated in a gruff tone as he looked back at the monitors. "Use your strengths to make weaknesses endurable."

Arianne nodded, "Anyway, I'll get back to you on when it's a good time to go see Lara," Commander Harriman said in a gruff tone. "Enjoy the rest of your day and don't let any teasing get to you."

Understanding herself to be dismissed, Arianne silently left the room, determined to be happy despite having the odds stacked against her socially.

* * *

_**Academy Canteen – 0900**_

"…For the LAST TIME, Elizabeth, I WILL NOT go out with you," Leonard snapped in a grouchy tone as he glared at Elizabeth from the table he and Jim were having a snack at; they were trying to eat and Elizabeth kept lingering at their table, giving him puppy eyes and lewd suggestions.

Elizabeth pouted, well aware that there were several people in the cafeteria catching a late breakfast or a snack between classes who were paying attention to her. "Aw, come on, McCoy" she said in a seductive manner as she whipped off her jacket and revealed a low cut top. "You gotta live a little."

"Even if I was interested in dating, I wouldn't go for a girl like you in a million years," Leonard replied, unaware that Arianne had just come into the canteen and was headed for the food line. "A girl who makes an obvious effort to publicly humiliate someone who is different isn't the type of girl I want."

Snarling, Elizabeth turned away from Leonard and saw that Arianne was getting some food. "Hey Pike, did you forget to eat again?" Elizabeth hissed, smirking at Arianne. "What a poor, stupid Daddy's girl."

Giving Arianne another smug look, Elizabeth walked over to the table where Nyota, Gaila, Christine, Hikaru, and Kennady were sitting. She sat and began an animated conversation with the group.

"Jim, I need to talk to you later," Arianne said to Jim in a hushed voice as she approached their table.

Jim nodded, "Have a seat," he said in a tired voice. "I'm just killing time until the Kobyashi Maru prep this afternoon. I'm taking a bunch of online classes, but Bones made it so I'm not allowed to do anything more strenuous than physical fitness this semester. I did a LOT of work in the first year, though."

Arianne sat across from Jim and nibbled at the breakfast sandwich she had ordered. "I'm in seven classes this semester," she said in a toneless voice. "I decided to take an easy semester after doing 26 classes last year and a summer of class. In my spare time, I'll be seeing clients again."

"Doctor Puri's been after me to go see a counselor this semester," Jim stated in an offbeat tone. "I'd rather not, though, and I told him that. I'm not comfortable talking to counselors at all. No offense."

Leonard mumbled something incoherent and then took a sip of water, "I hate to run, Jim, but I need to make tracks if I'm going to be on time for Xenolinguistics," Arianne stated as she stood up. "I figured that knowing how to speak alien languages will help me if I ever counsel people of another species."

"Yeah, text me when you're able to talk," Jim replied in a tired voice, well aware that the group across the cafeteria was talking about Arianne and wanted her to leave. "See you at Kobyashi Maru prep."

Arianne nodded and quietly left the cafeteria, knowing full well that she wasn't welcome there.

"Bones, I'm so worried about Arianne," Jim said in a quiet voice, ignoring the chicken broth that Leonard had gotten him and had insisted that he eat. "I feel so bad that I haven't been a better friend, but I've felt like crap since I woke up at Starfleet Medical. All I want to do is go back to our dorm and sleep, but I feel like I'm being a bad friend if I do that."

Before Leonard could reply, there was a beep and Jim sighed, "Great, probably another abusive email," Jim said in a tired voice as he pulled his stylus from his pocket and scanned it.

Leonard quickly snatched the stylus away, "You can read it LATER," he hissed. "Take it easy for now. It's not your fault that the media seems to get a kick out of spotlighting all the trouble you've had in your life."

"When are people gonna get that I'm not putting myself in the dangerous situations I somehow end up in?" Jim groaned as he took a sip of the soup and nearly gagged. "This soup sucks, Bones. I don't know why you made me eat it. I think I might be allergic to it."

Leonard sighed, "You aren't," he replied in a 'big brother' tone. "Just be quiet and eat, okay?"

Jim nodded and began to eat in silence, his eyes on the crowd that was gathered around the table near the food dispensary. Every once in a while, he would hear some disparaging remark about Arianne and each one cut him to the core. Arianne was like his sister.

"How did Elizabeth Dehner find out about Arianne's disabilities, anyway?" Leonard suddenly hissed in an agitated voice. "That stuff is only in her classified medical file; nobody outside of the proper medical authorities and Ensign Pike should be able to access her file."

Kirk shrugged, "Uhura was her roommate last year, maybe Arianne told her about it because she thought there was no reason to distrust her roommate," he replied as he quickly finished the soup and drank the remnants from the bowl. "Why would Uhura-"

"...I can't believe it when she told me about her problems," Jim suddenly heard Uhura say in an amused tone from the crowded table. "I thought she was kidding, but when I saw her stay up late working on simple homework or in the resource center, I knew..."

Gritting his teeth, Jim stood up, "Bones, let's get out of here before I'm tempted to get in a brawl that I'll regret later," he said in a tired voice. "I need to do some homework anyway."

Leonard nodded and shot a disgusted look in Uhura's direction as he left with Jim.

* * *

_**Academy Classroom - 1145**_

"...The time for completing the quiz has passed," Spock stated, his expression remaining neutral as he moved around the classroom gathering up the exam PADDs. "Be advised that this does not affect your overall academic grade. It will merely show me where each student is at in terms of their current skill with xenolinguistics and where they can improve."

Arianne sighed and fought the urge to cry; she had come early to think about how the day had gone so far and she was grateful for the privacy, causing her to hope that the class would be small and short. However, when over 50 students arrived, her hopes were crushed.

To add further stress to her already bad day, Commander Spock had arrived promptly at 1100 and without even bothering to introduce himself, he had passed out a mandatory quiz.

Although it was not unusual for Arianne to experience quizzes on the first day of a class, she had not taken a communications class since her first semester and was a bit rusty.

Some of the dialects were hard to recognize and she had never even heard of some of the languages involved in the exam. However, as per her duty, she did her best and didn't complain. A little quiz was nothing compared to what she had already been through.

"...If you refer to your academic material for this class, I have outlined the post-class work that requires completion by the commencement of next class," Arianne suddenly heard Spock say, causing her to mentally kick herself for not paying attention. "The consequence for not making a fair attempt at the work will be automatic dismissal from the next class."

Arianne heard a few muttered complaints and grumbles about that, but she kept her eyes and her focus on Spock. "If there are no further inquiries on the class and what work will be required whilst taking it, I dismiss you to other endeavors," he stated in a toneless voice.

There was a flurry of activity as most of the class got up and filed from the classroom, but Arianne stayed in her seat and began looking over the homework. She was so engrossed in trying to figure it out that she failed to realize that Spock was silently hovering over her.

"Ensign Pike," Spock stated in a slightly concerned voice. "Ensign Pike, are you well?"

Startled, Arianne looked up, "Oh, Commander Spock, you startled me," she said in a worried tone, suddenly seeing a touch of concern in his eyes. "I was just reviewing the homework."

"Fascinating," Spock replied tonelessly. "My observation is that you are quite studious."

Arianne nodded and pocketed the PADD, "Yes, I wish to finish the Command and Medical tracks in three years and then serve on the Enterprise under my father," she replied as she stood up. "I see no clear cut reason for me to remain on Earth after Academy graduation."

"Seeing as graduation is not in the immediate future, I find it illogical for you to obsess over it," Spock replied in a thoughtful tone. "You should focus on what you can do here and now."

Arianne allowed herself a tiny smile, "You're right," she stated in a soft tone. "Thank you."

"Arianne, while you are here, I wish to pass on my mother's well wishes for you during this academic period," Spock stated in a sincere tone. "She also expresses regret that she could not remain on Earth longer, but my father desired her presence at his side on Vulcan."

Again, Arianne nodded, "Thank you, Spock," she replied gently. "May I be dismissed now?"

Spock raised an eyebrow, but nodded, "If you require assistance with your out of class homework, please do not hesitate to contact me," he stated. "Have a productive day k'war'ma'khon."

Gratified that Spock was referring to her as family, Arianne nodded and quickly left the room.

Unknown to Arianne, however, Nyota had returned to ask Spock a question about tutoring and she had seen the entire exchange between Spock and Arianne; her blood was now boiling with jealousy.

Not wanting Spock to see that she had eavesdropped, Nyota slipped back outside with a plan in mind of how to make sure Arianne couldn't seduce any more professors; she would need help on it, though.

* * *

_**Medical Simulation Lab – 1230**_

Relieved to have peace and quiet, Arianne took a seat in one of the chairs at the briefing table that was just outside the 'Med-Bay' and bit into a sandwich that she had gotten from the lab replicator.

Although she was hungry, Arianne knew that another visit to the canteen was out of the question that day because of the ugly confrontation that morning; she would have to make do with replicator food.

As she ate, Arianne pulled out her stylus and accessed the outline for 'Starship Medical Simulations I' from the database and skimmed over it; the readings would be simple enough to do, but the practical that dealt with triaging and treating mass casualties in a crisis situation seemed a little overwhelming.

Setting the sandwich down on her plate, Arianne sighed and put the stylus on her lap; she slouched and closed her eyes to have a brief nap before class. Her day was only half over, yet she was exhausted.

"I wonder if anyone would care if I just blew off this class and slept until Kobyashi Maru Prep?" Arianne mumbled sleepily as she sat there. "It's not like Puri's gonna care if I miss one class to get some rest."

Unknown to Arianne, Leonard had entered the briefing room on his way to look over the simulation area and had overheard Arianne's little comment. "If you're too tired to stay for class, you might as well just drop this class and focus on just ONE track," he said in a firm tone. "You're doing too much, Ensign Pike."

"Starfleet is all I have, Doctor McCoy," Arianne replied as she opened her eyes and saw Leonard standing near where she was sitting. "I tried civilian life for a while as a child, but being different in the civilian world is very difficult and it almost got me killed. My father thought that I would be better off in a place where the ranks of civilian and officer didn't exist. I was that place until I was 16 years old."

Leonard nodded, "You and Jim seem really close," he replied. "Did you meet him around that time?"

"I really can't talk about that unless Jim says it's okay," Arianne stated firmly. "Now that we're alone, Doctor McCoy, I wanted to talk to you about scheduling your sessions. If we find some common times when we're both not in classes, I can schedule you during one of those times for more of my track."

Swallowing hard, Leonard took a seat, "Are you going to strap me into a shuttle seat again?" he asked, secretly hoping that he would be able to avoid having to fly in an actual shuttle. "That seems easy."

"Nope, I've rented a shuttle and I'll take you on a flight as soon as we can arrange it," Arianne replied in a reassuring tone as she patted his hand. "I was second in the Basic Flight class next to Hikaru Sulu."

Suddenly remembering that Arianne had been on a date with Hikaru Sulu then night she had bailed him and Jim out of jail, Leonard sighed. "Are you still dating that Sulu kid?" he asked in a curious tone.

"No, Hikaru didn't find any potential for a romantic relationship with me," Arianne replied in a semi-amused voice. "He's too obsessed with his double major in Command and Operations right now."

Leonard nodded and sighed, but before he could reply, a loud klaxon went off twice; it was class time.

The door slid open and Phlox came into the room with a stack of PADD's in his arms and he was followed by a small group of cadets, including Christine, all of who were engaged in conversations.

"Doctor McCoy, if you could pass these out to the class, I'll get the class started," Phlox stated in a hurried tone, relieved to see the students quickly taking their seats. "Hello there, Ensign Pike."

Suddenly realizing that Phlox didn't recognize her from before, as she had been much older, Arianne nodded politely and offered Phlox a smile; he would think her crazy if she revealed the truth.

"Good afternoon, students," Phlox stated in a cheerful tone as Leonard took the PADDs from his hands and began passing them out to all of the class. "My name is Doctor Phlox and I will be team teaching this class with Doctor Puri. Today we will not be initiating a crisis simulation, unfortunately, as Doctor Puri insists that you all pass physical and mental assessments before engaging in class work. On the PADDs that Doctor McCoy is passing out is the written portion of these assessments that you will all use the duration of this class to complete. Once you are finished, hand it in to Doctor McCoy or myself and report to Doctor Puri for the remainder of the exam. Are there any questions or concerns?"

Silence filled the room, "All right, you may begin," Phlox stated in a gentle tone as he sat on a stool.

"What's the point of these exams?" one student suddenly whined. "I'm healthy!"

Phlox let out a patient sigh, "Most of you have been gone for the summer and Doctor Puri wants to ensure that physical and mental fitness has been properly maintained," he stated. "If there's a problem, you will just be assigned counseling or physical fitness classes to help you get up to the standard."

Arianne sighed and quickly filled it out; she was already scheduled to take physical fitness by order of Dr. Puri because of the cancer and she was not looking forward to it. She had started back on the progesterone at the end of August and she felt tired and slightly nauseous from taking it, but food helped to ease the side effects. However, Arianne wondered that if it would actually help at all.

"Ah, thank you Ensign Pike," Phlox stated as Arianne handed over her completed assessment; he was concerned by her sudden pallor and the side effects he knew were from the progesterone. "You are dismissed for the day. Doctor McCoy, might I have a word with you in private?"

As Leonard moved to the corner of room with Phlox, Arianne gathered the remnants of lunch and her stylus and stood up. Her next class wasn't until 1600, so there was time for sleep and some studying.

With a sigh, Arianne left the room, relieved to have an opportunity at actual privacy at long last.

* * *

_**Classroom - Starfleet Academy Command Building – 1555**_

_How could Arianne not tell me herself that she had survived that accident and had been de-aged?_ Jonathan thought angrily as he sat at his desk, watching as students began to file into the classroom.

"Admeeral Archer, sir, here's yer coffee," Monty Scott, a 2nd year Engineering major and Admiral Archer's current educational assistant said as he placed a large mug of coffee on the desk.

Letting out a sigh, Jonathan looked up at Monty with a smile plastered on his face, "Thank you, Cadet Scott," he stated in a reassuring tone. "Now, if you could please pass out the course outline styluses?"

Monty nodded, grabbed the stack of styluses on the edge of the desk and moved over to the seats.

Jonathan winced as Arianne suddenly entered the classroom accompanied by Cadet Kirk. She was and looked so young, but traces of HIS Arianne were very obvious in her face, hair, and stunning blue eyes.

The chronometer on his desk suddenly switched to 1600 and Jonathan quickly got to his feet.

"Welcome to Kobyashi Maru Prep," Jonathan stated in a stern voice, glaring at the entire class as he paced back and forth in front of his desk. "This class will consist of a series of written and practical Bridge Officer lectures and examinations that will help you prepare for the Kobyashi Maru. You cannot take the Kobyashi Maru unless you pass all of the preliminary exams, so I suggest you study hard. My assistant, Cadet Monty Scott, is providing you with a stylus of effective study materials and the outline."

Jim looked at Arianne, "This stuff will be a breeze," he whispered, unaware that Jonathan had seen him talking in class. Arianne nodded, but didn't take her focus away from the front of the room.

"Ensign Pike!" Jonathan shouted, severely irritated that he wasn't being given the respect he deserved and even more irritated that Arianne was a student in his class when they were once lovers. "Stand up!"

Swallowing hard, Arianne stood up, "I do NOT tolerate anyone engaging in conversation while I am talking!" Jonathan snapped, anger in his voice. "You will stay after class today and write lines."

"Sir, with all due respect, I—" Jim spoke up, surprised when Jonathan held up a hand to silence him.

Jonathan glared at Jim, "I suggest you keep your comments to yourself, Cadet Kirk," he stated in a very stern voice. "Ensign Pike is set to a higher standard and must serve as an example to other students around her, both in good times and bad. Even if she is not guilty of misbehavior, Ensign Pike is going to be taking responsibility for those who ARE guilty of misbehavior and accept the punishment for it."

A flurry of murmuring rose up, but Jonathan's glare quickly silenced it. "Now, before I decide to make all of you stay after class and write lines, open the first lesson on your styluses," he stated. "We'll start by discussing what the Kobyashi Maru is and why it is important that all must take it before graduation."

As Jonathan began to read off the notes, Arianne couldn't help but think that Admiral Archer looked very familiar to her in a way she didn't quite understand. Perhaps another visit with Spock and another mind meld would help her to understand what memories she was missing…when there was time.

* * *

_**Assembly Hall – 1800**_

By the time Arianne had finished her lines and listened to an extensive lecture from Admiral Archer about being a responsible adult, it was after 1730 and she found herself bolting across campus.

When she arrived at the Assembly Hall, Arianne was shocked to see nearly every cadet currently attending the Academy jammed into any unoccupied space in which they could sit or stand.

"Greetings students, I am Professor Khan," an accented voice suddenly filtered up the stairs near the door where Arianne was forced to linger due to lack of room. "Welcome to my class and I hope that we can learn valuable things from each other. Before we begin, I will introduce my educational assistant."

Wanting a better look at Professor Khan, Arianne edged her way through the crowd and down the stairs until she saw Jim and Leonard seated in the first row. Neither of them saw her there, however.

Professor Khan looked all right with his dark hair, dark skin, and unusual red uniform, Arianne mused, as she watched him walk over to a door at the far end of the room. However, as calming as Professor Khan looked, Arianne couldn't help but be a little afraid of him. His eyes and voice were so full of intensity.

"Allow me to introduce my assistant," Khan stated as a youthful looking man with dark hair and pointed ears entered the room dressed in a black pantsuit and boots with his arms full of small PADDs. "This is Serij and he has kindly agreed to assist me in my teaching while working at the Vulcan Embassy."

Serij, as he had been instructed to by T'Pol, gave the class a studious look; he immediately noticed and recognized Jim, Arianne, and Leonard; however, he made no movement to approach any of them.

Remaining quiet, Serij moved forward and began placing one PADD on each desk. "Serij is passing out a list of what will be covered in this academic semester," Khan stated in a smooth tone. "We will be travelling a great deal to places that symbolize survival and endurance while I am your teacher. There will also be opportunities to display your many skills as unique individuals in a variety of settings. I am very much looking forward to seeing what capabilities you all have and can eventually master."

As Serij passed by Leonard and Jim, Arianne suddenly saw Leonard's face go whiteand as she looked at Serij a little more closely, she suddenly understood why. He was their captor from the ice world.

"Young lady, please have a seat," Khan suddenly told her, noticing that she was standing; he pointed to an empty chair at the very front of the class and smiled at her, indicating that she would be all right.

Not wanting to cause a scene, Arianne nodded and silently moved to the empty seat. As she sat down, Serij came over to her and handed her a PADD. Their eyes met briefly and then she looked at the desk.

After what seemed like an eternity, Serij moved away and back to the front of the class. Arianne breathed a small sigh of relief and listened closely as Professor Khan began to tell more about the class.

Little did she know however, that both Jim and Leonard were watching her with intensely concerned expressions on their faces. They had seen Jeris invade her space and hadn't liked it one bit.

* * *

_**Dormitory – Boyce Hall – 2130**_

Silence greeted Arianne as she entered the dormitory that she shared with Christine and Marla.

Professor Khan's class had been long, but certainly not dull. However, Arianne was glad for it to be over because it meant she could go back to her dorm, go to bed, and sleep before she had to get up early in the morning to do some studying. Tomorrow wasn't as busy for her, so she could rest a little more.

Of course, it would only get harder as the days progressed and Arianne knew that; she had yet to get an email about the time and location of her physical and mental fitness classes and Commander Harriman would no doubt email her soon about a good time to start visiting Lara. Why was her life so crazy?

Taking a seat on the couch, Arianne sighed; she hadn't told Jim about her big life secret yet because there had been NO time to talk that day. Besides, a letter might be a better way to properly explain it.

Arianne pulled her stylus from her pocket and quickly accessed the Academy's email database; she set Jim as the recipient and encoded it in such a way that only he would be able to read what she wrote.

As she wrote the letter, Arianne silently prayed that Jim would understand and still want to be there for her.

* * *

Can I please have some reviews about how the story is being received? I know people are reading it, but I am saddened by the fact that nobody will tell me their thoughts on it. Please review and make me happy?


	21. October 2256: Striving To Thrive

_**October 2256**_

_**Starfleet Medical Psychiatric Center - 0500**_

"Lara, I brought you a friend," Arianne heard Commander Harriman say from inside the room where Lara Harriman resided as part of her in-patient treatment. "Her name is Arianne Pike—"

There was a whimper and then a sigh, "…No, Lara, she is Christopher Pike's daughter," Commander Harriman's gently-toned voice filtered through the door. "You remember Christopher Pike, right?"

For a moment it became so quiet that Arianne was afraid that Lara had fainted or retreated into a catatonic stated, but then the door slid open a crack. "Arianne," Commander Harriman stated.

Swallowing hard, Arianne moved forward and squeezed her body through the door. She suddenly found herself in a white walled room lined with photos of various Terran landscapes. The furniture was simple enough; a bed in the corner, a desk with a computer atop of it next to while a large closet and a door leading to a bathroom was on the other side of the room.

A wheelchair sat at the computer with its back to the door and Arianne saw a frail looking individual seated in the wheelchair. Commander Harriman was kneeling next to the chair looking very worried.

"Lara, is today not a good time for a new friend?" Commander Harriman asked in a gentle voice as he gently stroked his wife's hair and face. "If today's not a good time, Arianne will understand."

Lara sighed deeply, "Turn around," she replied in a faint, yet very commanding tone. "See her."

Commander Harriman nodded and carefully turned the wheelchair around, revealing a very young-looking woman who wore loose pajamas and a pink housecoat with her long red hair, which made her already pale face look chalk white, cascading down to her lap. Lana Harriman gazed up at Arianne through her green eyes and paused a moment before extending a hand out to the young Ensign.

"Nice to meet you," Lana spoke in a faint whisper as Arianne gently took her hand. "Soft hands."

Arianne smiled as Lara released her hand, "Can we have breakfast now?" Lara asked in a hopeful voice.

"Yes dearest, we can," Commander Harriman replied in a gentle voice. "What would you like to wear?"

Lara was silent for a moment and then rose from the chair. "Help me, Arianne," she said as she walked over to the closet and flung it open; she gestured to several beautiful pantsuits and dresses. "Choose."

Arianne studied the clothes for a moment and then carefully extracted a beautiful green dress with long sleeves and a long skirt. Lara smiled and caressed the dress and held out her hands to take it.

"I will dress for breakfast," Lana stated in a semi-jovial tone. "Please, may I have privacy?"

Commander Harriman nodded, "Use the intercom when you are ready to be taken to breakfast, dear," he replied in a gentle tone. "Arianne, if you will follow me out into the hall for a few moments?"

Arianne nodded and quickly followed Commander Harriman into the hallway. "The wheelchair makes her feel safe when she's outside her room," he stated. "She can walk just fine, though."

"I understand," Arianne replied in a sincere tone; she had seen her share of patients who had mobility but thought of a wheelchair as a form of security and often used it to encounter stressful situations.

There were a few moments of silence and the door suddenly opened. Lara was seated in her wheelchair adorned in the dress with her hair down her shoulders. Commander Harriman smiled and moved over to his pretty wife. He quickly knelt and gave her a gentle peck on the cheek before getting to his feet again.

"Shall we?" Commander Harriman asked as he moved behind the chair and smiled reassuringly at Arianne. Lara nodded impatiently and tapped the armrests of the wheelchair with a trembling hand.

As they began to move down the hallway towards the eating area, Lara let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes to relax. Arianne looked at Commander Harriman, who nodded and smiled reassuringly.

Realizing that the Commander was telling her all was well, Arianne began to mentally plan the rest of her day; after this meeting, she had a few classes to attend and then she was taking Leonard flying.

After the flight, Arianne knew that would be free to rest in her dorm, study, or do things to help herself relax. She had several exams coming up in a few weeks and extra studying always had helped before.

* * *

_**Dormitory – Boyce Hall**_

"She didn't!" a shocked gasp escaped Marla's lips as she gaped at Nyota from across the table.

Nyota nodded, "I saw her leaving his office last night after dark," she replied, disgusted that Arianne was trying to seduce Spock for better grades. "She obviously isn't doing well in Xenolinguistics."

"I don't believe that Arianne would seduce a teacher just to get the top mark," Christine stated in an uncertain tone as she handed Marla and Nyota cups of tea she got from the replicator. "It's really a well-known fact that Professor Spock has offered tutoring to his entire class. I don't think seeing Arianne leaving his office is anything except her just getting tutoring. Why else would she be there?"

Marla shrugged, "We should be getting ready for Physical Fitness," she said in a worried tone. "I hear we're doing some stuff in the rec center today. I'm glad for a break from running, personally."

"I don't even care about exercise," Nyota replied snappishly. "It's bad enough that it's a requirement for everyone each semester, but to have to work out alongside the likes of Arianne Pike and Jim Kirk-."

Marla sighed, "Well, I'm going to get ready," she said in a resigned tone as she stood. "See you later."

"I have to run too, Christine," Nyota said in an apologetic tone as she got to her feet. "I have some studying to do before the meeting with Professor Khan. He's giving us our first practical exam soon."

Christine nodded and was silent as Nyota left. Arianne couldn't be as bad as Nyota was saying.

However, Christine couldn't help but wonder why Arianne frequently visited Professor Spock after class hours at his office. Was it indeed for Xenolinguistics training or was something else going on?

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical Psychiatric Center – 0600**_

"I can't believe you talked me into volunteering at this Starfleet establishment," Dr. Piper said in an amused tone as he sat across the table from Leonard in the atrium. The atrium was decorated with several sets of round tables and chairs as well as fake plants, trees, and a small coffee bar.

Leonard shrugged and made a note on his stylus. "I figured since you're helping me at AA, I'd help you," he replied in a semi-distressed tone as he received a note from Puri to go to phys-ed class that day.

"What's wrong, Leonard?" Dr. Piper asked in a concerned tone, hearing the distress in his friend's tone.

Leonard sighed, "I've been semi-excused from a lot of the group physical education classes and have been able to do the workouts on my own because I do work for Doctor Puri," he explained in a distressed voice. "Doctor Puri just emailed me and said I have to go to the class today at 0700."

"Just take it slow and don't do anything you aren't comfortable doing," Dr. Piper replied in a reassuring tone. "Doctor Puri is usually pretty lenient about letting students do what they want at the recreation center as long as they're staying active. Maybe just do a few laps around the indoor track to start."

Leonard nodded; he was comfortable enough with running. Moving his legs at a fast pace was easy.

Dr. Piper, however, was gazing over at the far end of the atrium, so Leonard looked over there as well.

A trembling Jim was clinging to the wall as Dr. Puri and two orderlies surrounded him. There was a look of intense fear on Jim's face, but his eyes were slightly glazed over, as if he didn't know where he was.

"…Elizabeth gave me something to help me sleep," Jim was mumbling in a whispery voice, cringing as one of the orderlies tried to touch him. "I don't know where I am or why I'm not in my dorm…"

There was suddenly a loud gasp as Leonard saw Arianne enter the atrium with Commander Harriman from the hallway leading to the patient rooms. "Jim," she said, suddenly running to his side. "Doctor Puri, call your orderlies off and I'll handle it. I'm sorry, Commander Harriman, but-"

"Arianne," Jim whispered as he suddenly released the wall and fell into her outstretched arms.

Arianne held Jim for a moment and then noticed his hands, which were swollen, "Jim, your hands are swollen," she said in a soothing voice as she held her trembling friend. "What happened?"

"I've been having sleeping problems and Elizabeth noticed," Jim replied in an anxious voice as he sank to the floor. "He gave me some sort of soup that he said it would help, but I can't remember-"

Holding tight to him, Arianne sank to her knees, "Go to Starfleet Medical and get looked at," she said in a soothing voice as she stroked his sweaty forehead. "Have you been seeing things out of the ordinary?"

"Tarsus everywhere," Jim whispered anxiously. "Kodos was laughing at me everywhere I went."

Arianne nodded, "It was just soup," Jim whispered as he tried to stand up. "I'm not allergic to soup."

Swearing under his breath, Leonard stood up and ran over to them, "Jim, just relax," he said in a firm tone as he opened his med-kit and pulled out a hypospray. "I'm gonna give you a mild sedative so you don't feel anything while I give you an allergy treatment. You'll be all right, Jim. Just hang in there."

"It was just a sleepover at her dorm," Jim mumbled, wincing as he felt a hypospray pressed into the side of his neck; he immediately closed his eyes and his entire body relaxed in Arianne's grip.

Leonard sighed, "I had heard that Jim was seeing Elizabeth Dehner, but I didn't think she'd try to hurt him," he said in a resigned tone as Arianne gently laid Jim flat on the floor. "I've got him, don't worry."

"Jim is my best friend and I'm staying right here with him," Arianne replied, unaware that Commander Harriman and Dr. Piper were lingering nearby and were watching her and Leonard interacting.

Rolling his eyes, Leonard scanned Jim with a medical tricorder, "The way Jim's seeing things, I bet there was a hallucinogen in that soup he ate," Arianne stated, relying on her knowledge gained from studying medical topics during her summer of bed rest. "Sounds a lot like there could be something like LSD in it."

"Well, I'll take him to Medical," Leonard stated. "Doctor Puri, I need a hand with Cadet Kirk."

As Dr. Puri approached, Arianne rose and quickly moved out of the way. "I'm going to head for the rec center and get ready for class," she said in an uncomfortable tone. "See you all later."

Only Commander Harriman gave Arianne a nod of acknowledgement before she turned and left; she failed to notice Lana's expression of intense curiosity.

* * *

_**Starfleet Academy Recreation Center – 0700**_

"…Hello students, welcome to Physical Fitness," the voice of Dr. Puri sounded out over the intercom.

Arianne didn't hear the rest of Puri's usual speech because she was swimming freestyle lengths in the Academy pool as fast and as hard as she could in a lane that the pool staff had roped off for her. Not many students actually used the pool in class, as they claimed it wasn't an effective way to exercise.

With her frail body, however, Arianne knew that it was one of the few exercises she could do for an hour without resting or slowing down. Besides, she had loved the water ever since she was a small child.

A sudden splash in the shallow end caught Arianne off guard and she suddenly saw Jim enter the pool's shallow end dressed in a wetsuit type swimsuit. She stopped and slowly swam over to where he was.

"Bones went for a run on the indoor track," Jim stated in a tired voice. "He says I'm allowed to do light exercises in the shallow end of the pool and nothing else. I'm supposed to take it easy today."

Arianne nodded, unsure if Jim had gotten the letter she had sent him a month ago, as things had been too busy to talk. Jim studied Arianne for a moment and then smiled reassuringly at her.

"I got your letter, Arianne," Jim stated in a gentle tone. "It doesn't change anything between us at all."

Instantly relaxing, Arianne nodded and made to stand up so that she could hug Jim, but she suddenly felt her legs giving out and her body quickly sank further into the water. Jim frowned and grabbed her.

"My legs feel so heavy," Arianne said in a weak voice. "Help me over to the steps so I can sit down, Jim."

Jim nodded and carefully escorted Arianne over to the pool steps. He helped her to sit and then unzipped the top of her swim wetsuit, revealing the top part of a blue one-piece suit. Arianne sighed and immediately placed a shaking hand over the scars that the neckline of the blue swimsuit revealed.

"My heart's beating so fast," Arianne moaned as she grabbed hold of the railing to support herself.

Jim's eyes widened and suddenly he saw Leonard walk into the pool area in shorts and a t-shirt with a tired look on his face and a med-kit in his hand. He walked across the deck towards one of the small hot tubs that were on the far end of the deck. "Bones!" Jim shouted in a trembling voice. "Bones, hurry!"

"No, I'm okay," Arianne protested, shakily forcing herself to stand up and move up out of the water.

Leonard watched as Arianne moved unsteadily towards the change rooms. He slowly moved over to her and gently slipped his arms underneath hers, holding her in a comfortable, yet immovable position.

"Please," Arianne whispered, suddenly feeling chills shoot through her whole body. "Please, let—"

Arianne suddenly felt her legs give way and before she knew what was happening, she found herself lying flat on the deck. Her head was spinning and dehydration was the first thought that came to mind.

"I knew this would happen sooner than later, Bones," Arianne suddenly heard Jim say. "She's been going at breakneck speed from 0400 to 2300 every day since term started. I've been keeping an eye on her from a distance and Admiral Archer sometimes makes her do midnight PT for no reason."

Arianne wanted to scream at Jim to shut up and stop spying on her, but she lacked the strength to do anything but lie there. She suddenly felt her legs being raised and bent and a hand touch her face.

"Starfleet Medical, this is Doctor McCoy requesting a medi-shuttle and orderlies be dispatched to the Aquatics area of the Starfleet Academy Recreation Center on a priority one demand," Leonard said, quickly whipping his communicator out of his pocket. "Jim, STOP TOUCHING MY MED-KIT!"

Arianne saw Jim's face hovering near her own as she suddenly vomited and slipped into blackness.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical Emergency Care Unit – 1030**_

"…_I said NO, Jim!"_

"…_I just want to give Arianne the notes from Commander Harriman's class and then I'll go…"_

Arianne opened her eyes and immediately saw that she was in an exam room at Starfleet Medical and reasoned that her bed had been raised. She could see Jim and Leonard standing in the hallway and Jim had a stylus tucked under his arm. Leonard was scowling and was holding a small box in one hand.

_I have to get to class or else I'll have to do more midnight PT. _Arianne thought, her fear of incurring anger from her many instructors causing her to sit up and immediately be hit by a wave of dizziness.

"Arianne, what are you doing?" Jim asked, suddenly noticing that Arianne was trying to sit up.

Leonard scowled and handed the box to Jim, "Go take that to the analysis lab for a drug screen," he said in a gruff voice as he moved into the exam room. "Just lie back and relax, Ensign Pike."

"What time is it?" Arianne asked, suddenly surprised about how weak and tired she sounded.

Leonard didn't reply; he moved over to a portable table and picked up a stylus that Arianne recognized as the one that had been in her bag that morning. He scanned it carefully with a frown on his face.

"Jim was right, you've been running yourself ragged," Leonard replied as he scanned the data. "You seriously get up at 0400 to study until 0500 and then you go off and do counseling rounds from 0500 to until you have class at 0700. Your classes run from 0700 to 2100 and there are times throughout the day that you could be eating or resting, but Jim says you use every spare moment you can for studying."

Arianne watched as Leonard tapped on her stylus and then placed it on her bed so she could see it.

_Pike, Arianne C._

_Rank: Ensign_

_Track: Command & Medical_

_Semester: Fall 2256_

_Monday – Friday Schedule (By Order of Leonard McCoy, MD)_

_**0600 - 0700: Counseling Rounds_

_**0800 – 1000: Command Fitness I _

**_1100 – 1200: Xenolinguistics_

_**1300 to 1500: Starship Medical Simulations_

_**1600 to 1700: Kobyashi Maru Prep_

_**1800 to 2100: Finer Points of Survival_

Fear filled Arianne's heart; there was no way that she would be able to do this modified schedule even if Leonard had used his status as an MD to order it. Admiral Archer, for one, would not allow such a thing.

"Doctor Puri's already signed off on it," Leonard stated as he took a seat on a stool beside the bed. "You can do light physical activity during the week, but nothing more than necessary. If you feel up to it, I've arranged it so you can do the Physical Fitness and Inner Fitness classwork on Saturdays. For now, though, you're going to take it easy and the only way you'll go to your other classes today is with an escort."

Arianne sighed, "Right, like Professor Spock's gonna let any new people into his class," she replied in a tired voice, suddenly noticing that there were driplines in her hand. "He's a really strict teacher."

"I wasn't planning on releasing you until the dripboxes ran dry and you had something halfway decent to eat anyway," Leonard replied, giving Arianne a concerned look. "I'll email this Professor Spock and tell him that you'll be sitting this class out. I didn't tell your father about this; by the way, as I know that he'd be on the first transport back from Iowa. Why were you swimming like a maniac, though?"

Arianne was silent; she didn't want to speak of the conversation between Elizabeth and Nyota that she had overheard while in one of the cubicles dressing for Physical Education class that day.

_Arianne had put on her swimsuit and was now slipping on a wetsuit over it to hide the scars on her chest._

"…_I didn't think Jim would be dumb enough to take the soup from my fridge that I had made to give Arianne," Arianne suddenly heard Elizabeth say as footsteps entered the change room. "I went downtown yesterday during Medical History and bought some stuff from this dealer who lives near the Golden Gate Bridge. He's really the only one left in the area who sells the actual drug…."_

"…_It would have been fun to see Arianne hallucinate, but it was even funnier to see Kirk act like he was having a psychotic break," Nyota's voice replied in an amused tone. "I got some pictures of it…"_

_Anger surged through Arianne and, quickly putting the wetsuit on, she silently left the change room._

_The walk across the deck was quick and Arianne dove into the deep end with a heavy determination._

"…I also arranged your schedule so that you can have a little bit of a routine and have an easier time adjusting to the semester," Arianne suddenly heard Leonard say; she suddenly felt another blanket being placed over the gown that was covering her body. "An extra blanket should help you feel a little better."

Arianne nodded, "Thank you," she whispered, suddenly feeling like she could use a small sleep. She let out a tired sigh and closed her eyes to take advantage of the opportunity to rest while she had it.

Leonard watched Arianne sleep for a moment and then swallowing hard, he silently left the room. As much as he wanted to stay by her side and be there for her, he had other work that needed taking care of.

* * *

_**Classroom - Starfleet Academy Command Building – 1555**_

"…I'm so embarrassed that I slept through Med Sim class," Jonathan suddenly heard Arianne say in an amused, but very tired voice, as he heard footsteps enter the classroom. "Why didn't you wake me?"

As he continued looking over the marked tests, Jonathan heard Jim clear his throat, "Bones wouldn't let me come into see you and skip class," Jim said in an amused tone. "He said you needed the rest."

"If Doctor McCoy keeps making me take it easy, I'm gonna end up failing all my classes," Jonathan suddenly heard Arianne reply in a distressed voice. "I've got enough to worry about without him—"

Having heard enough of Arianne's whining, Jonathan gazed up at the two of them sternly. "You're right, Ensign Pike, you do have enough to worry about," he stated in a sharp tone. "You have to worry about whether or not you're actually going to survive the Academy with all the problems you've been having."

"Problems, sir?" Arianne asked in a confused voice; she had been holding her own at everything so far.

Jonathan nodded, "You may be Captain Pike's daughter in name, but you have yet to show me or any of the other instructors that you are really your father's daughter," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "I looked over your transcript and you took a lot of basic courses in your first year. 26 to be exact, right?"

"Yes sir," Arianne replied in an uncertain tone. "I'm in both the Command and Medical tracks."

Jim suddenly frowned, noticing that Arianne was becoming both very confused and distressed by this sudden interrogation, "Admiral Archer, with all due respect, Arianne is supposed to be taking it easy—" he said in a concerned voice, unsurprised when Admiral Archer gave him a death glare.

"When I want your opinion, Cadet Kirk, I'll ask for it," Admiral Archer replied crisply as he stood up with a PADD in his hand and walked over to where Arianne and Jim were sitting. "As you may or may not know, there is an option to take the Kobyashi Maru at the end of the semester instead of next year."

Arianne nodded, but remained silent, "I'm glad Bones left his PADD for this class at the dorm and he let me walk you here," Jim whispered to her. "He would have blown up at Admiral Archer…"

"Anyway, Ensign Pike, I think you should take the Kobyashi Maru for your semester final and invite the members of this class to work under your command," Jonathan stated in a calm, yet firm voice. "I think it's time that you actually proved that you are worthy of the name 'Pike.' Don't you agree?"

Fortunately, Arianne was spared having to answer that question because other students, including Leonard, began to file into the classroom, all of them deeply engaged in conversation with each other.

As if he wanted to make a point that he was still keeping a strict eye on her, Leonard took the seat next to Jim, within arm's reach of Arianne. Arianne sighed and ignored the concerned look he was giving her.

Monty was among the last to arrive with Porthos on a leash and he scurried down the row to stand beside the desk, "Welcome to class, students," Jonathan stated, pointedly ignoring Monty trying to get Porthos to sit and behave. "Before we start today's lecture, I have a little announcement to make. The end of the semester exam will be replaced by a Kobyashi Maru test that will be taken by our own Ensign Pike."

A loud buzzing suddenly filled the air as Arianne heard other students whisper to each other that she was crazy to take the test before third year. Leonard, however, immediately glared at both her and Jim.

"All right now, quiet down," Jonathan stated in a light, yet stern tone. "Access your notes for today."

Pressing a button on the desk, Monty was relieved when the room darkened and a screen lowered from the ceiling that would display the class notes. Now he could make Porthos behave in darkness.

The room fell silent as Jonathan glanced at the screen, "Cadet Kirk, if you wouldn't mind reading the first three paragraphs about the history of the Kobyashi Maru," he said in a firm tone as he gazed at Jim.

"Uh, I'm having a little trouble making out the words, sir," Jim replied in a nervous voice.

Jonathan raised an eyebrow, "I'll talk to you after class, Kirk," he said in an unamused tone. "Cadet Dehner, please read the first three paragraphs of the history of the Kobyashi Maru."

As Elizabeth, who smirked at Jim, began to read in a loud voice, Arianne pretended like she was taking notes on her PADD when in actuality, she was sending a text message to Jim's private PADD.

_Jim,_

_I thought I told you to go get your eyes checked._

_Arianne_

Arianne watched as Jim looked at his PADD, sighed, and typed a response. She looked at her PADD.

_Dr. Puri gave me Retinax at the end of last month and I ended up decorating my dorm with my breakfast and having swollen hands for a week. I think I might be allergic to it and glasses are hard to come by._

Sighing, Arianne typed a response; she knew that Jim wasn't telling the truth about the glasses being hard to come by. Jim was just afraid to ask Dr. Puri about glasses for fear of Leonard finding out.

_Look, we'll go off campus to a civilian eye doctor after class. You are probably farsighted._

"Ensign Pike, Cadet Kirk, is there something you want to share with the rest of the class?" Arianne suddenly heard Jonathan say as she looked forward and noticed him glaring at her and Jim.

The lights suddenly flashed on, "Class will resume as soon as Ensign Pike and Cadet Kirk either tell us their big secret or leave the classroom," Jonathan stated in a strict voice. "Either way, I'll see you two on the South field at midnight for some running. You need to learn some heavy discipline, I think."

"We're outta here," Jim mumbled as he got to his feet. "C'mon, Arianne; let's go."

Arianne nodded, stood, and followed Jim from the room, ignoring the stares of everyone else.

"All right, now that the drama is over," Jonathan continued. "Miss Dehner, please continue…"

Deeply concerned about why Jim and Arianne suddenly chose today to disrupt and leave a class, Leonard quietly stood up and left the classroom. He smirked as Elizabeth Dehner shot him a tedious glare.

* * *

_**Opthamology Clinic – 1800 H**_

"No." the faint voice of Jim filtered out from behind a door that led to an exam room.

"Jim, come on," Arianne said in an insistent, yet very gentle voice. "I'm not going to laugh at you."

"I can't believe I'm farsighted," Jim's voice whined. "Having to wear glasses will royally suck."

Arianne sighed and bit her lip, "It's not so bad," she replied in a firm tone. "Come out here NOW."

There was a sigh and the door opened, revealing Jim standing there in his cadet uniform with a pair of bifocals on his pale face. He scowled, but his look softened as he saw Arianne's gentle expression.

"We're both gonna get nailed by Professor Khan for missing class," Jim stated as he came out of the exam room and grabbed his leather jacket and Arianne's jacket off of the coat rack.

Arianne shrugged, "Your eyesight was more important than class and I know that you wouldn't go to Starfleet Medical about it, so this was the next best thing," she replied as she put her coat on over her flimsy cadet reds. "I've known Doctor LaForge ever since I became a certified counselor and she's very skilled within the field of opthamology. I updated your medical file while you were being taken care of."

"You know Bones is probably going to freak out, right?" Jim asked as they left the office and moved down the sidewalk towards the stop where they could catch a bus back to the Academy. "He said…"

Arianne sighed, "You let me deal with Doctor McCoy," she replied as they huddled in the small bus stop

kiosk to keep from freezing in the sudden evening wind. "Geez, it's really freezing out here!"

"It's not that cold," Jim replied in a soft voice, suddenly noticing the sweat on Arianne's forehead. "Hey, are you okay, Arianne? You don't look really well. A side effect of the progesterone?"

Arianne swallowed hard, "I feel like I'm going to be sick, Jim," she replied in a faint voice as she took a seat on the metal bench in the kiosk. "The side effects are horrible some days, but I keep going."

"You shouldn't be alone tonight, Arianne," Jim said in a gentle tone. "Would your roommates mind-?"

Again, Arianne sighed, "I haven't slept in my dorm for the past three days because the code was changed on me and neither of my roommates has told me what the new code is," she confessed. "Between the classes, counseling, study time, and getting midnight PT, I haven't had a lot of time for rest anyway."

"Come back to my dorm then," Jim replied in a calm voice. "Bones will be out until 2300 hours."

Too worn out to argue, Arianne nodded as a hover bus approached, "I'll make sure you get something to eat and you'll be safe from the idiots who enjoy mocking you," Jim continued, gently helping Arianne to her feet and slipping an arm around her waist to support her. "I'll even take care of the bus fare for you."

Arianne remained silent and allowed Jim to help her on to the bus and to a comfortable seat in the front, closest to the window. She watched as he went back to the front, paid credits to the driver, and came back.

Jim quietly sat down and Arianne leaned against him, allowing her eyes to close and sleep to take her.

* * *

_**Academy Campus – 1900 H**_

Beneath a tree, Serij sat in a meditative position, silently listening as Nero's anger filtered through the bond of friendship they had formed. It was all Spock's fault that all things were happening this way.

Yet, Serij knew that despite vowing to serve under Nero's command, his goal was not to eliminate Spock, but to make him suffer. The fascination that Arianne Pike and Jim Kirk's uniqueness created had caused him to direct his attentions towards them. It was fortunate that T'Pol was helping him in this quest.

The fascination that T'Pol was developing for Jim Kirk was disturbing to him, Serij reflected as he gazed towards the building where Professor Khan was putting a class through a rigorous mental exercise that was rumored to have brought other groups of students to tears. There was no need for assistance today.

"Ensign Pike, Cadet Kirk!" Serij suddenly heard the sharp tone of Admiral Archer shout.

Serij looked up and saw Admiral Archer walking towards two people who were just stepping on to the campus, both of them dressed in civilian clothing. Admiral Archer looked exceptionally angry.

Curious to see if he could perhaps intervene and use them to further his research, Serij rose and silently walked over to where the three stood. He could hear Admiral Archer reaming the two cadets out.

"…When I got the message from Professor Khan that you two were absent, I about had a heart attack," Serij heard Admiral Archer snap. "Cadets are not authorized to leave campus without permission…"

Jim sighed and rolled his eyes, but Arianne remained quiet, "Are those glasses, Cadet Kirk?" Admiral Archer asked, suddenly noticing the bifocal eyeglasses Jim had over his tired looking eyes.

"Yes sir," Jim replied in a respectful tone. "Arianne took me to a civilian eye doctor and I'm farsighted probably because of the space radiation I was exposed to as a baby. Doctor LaForge gave me some glasses and also recommended I get a body scan at Starfleet Medical in the next few weeks."

Admiral Archer's look suddenly softened and he also noticed that Arianne looked very tired, "Forget the midnight PT," he said in a warmer tone as he smiled at the two of them. "I asked you to get your eyes checked, Cadet Kirk, and you were able to do it with the help of Ensign Pike. I'll create some make-up assignments for you two to complete in lieu of missing your classes. Consider today a free pass."

"C'mon Arianne, let's go," Jim said in a quiet voice. "Thank you for your mercy, Admiral Archer."

As Jim and Arianne walked off, Serij approached Admiral Archer, "Admiral Archer, I am curious about something," Serij stated in a toneless voice. "Why would you extend mercy for human tardiness?"

"Serij, I just feel like it wouldn't be fair to punish Ensign Pike for helping Cadet Kirk do something I asked him to do," Admiral Archer replied gently. "Mercy would be a better approach than justice."

As Admiral Archer explained to Serij the intricacies and importance of human mercy and emotion, Serij knew that he could use Arianne's exhaustion to his advantage; her vulnerability would be his success.

* * *

_**Academy Canteen – 1930 H**_

Commander Harriman smiled at the cup of coffee he held in his hands; because of Ensign Pike's visit earlier in the day, Lara's mood had been excellent and she had shown affection towards him that day.

Now, with Lara occupied in sewing and journal writing until she was ready to sleep, Commander Harriman found himself with some unexpected free time before his evening paperwork. He had chosen to treat himself to a strong cup of coffee at the canteen before returning to his office and doing his work.

"…I am NOT hungry," Commander Harriman suddenly heard a familiar voice say in a weak tone.

The door to the canteen suddenly slid open and Commander Harriman saw Jim and Arianne enter the canteen, both of them wearing civilian clothes. His eyes widened when he saw Jim wearing glasses.

"Cadet Kirk, Ensign Pike." Commander Harriman said in a calm tone as he rose to greet the two of them. "I heard that you two got thrown out of Admiral Archer's class today. Is that accurate?"

Jim turned a deep shade of red and looked at the floor, but Arianne nodded, "Yes sir," she replied in a respectful tone. "Admiral Archer also declared that my Kobyashi Maru would be the semester final."

"Admiral Archer has not hesitated in making a campus-wide announcement about that," Commander Harriman replied in a semi-amused tone. "He thinks he's going to humiliate the great Ensign Pike."

Arianne was stunned, "Sir, I'm not ready for the Kobyashi Maru by any means," she confessed in a scared voice as she took a seat across from the Commander. "The Kobyashi Maru requires the one taking it to have the heart and finesse of a Captain. I'm just recovering from a serious illness and am not strong."

"Your victory against cancer because of Doctor McCoy is not news to me, nor is your continued battle with your disabilities" Commander Harriman replied in a more serious tone. "The fact that you didn't allow it to dominate the way you led your life shows that you have what it takes to be a Captain. Like those of old, however, you just need the right support, reasonable preparation, and the appropriate circumstances in which to prove what you are made of."

At that comment, Jim turned pale and immediately sank to his knees, "Cadet Kirk?" Commander Harriman asked in a concerned voice as he rose from his seat. "Ensign Pike, assist me please."

"Elizabeth Dehner had hosted Jim as a guest in her dorm last night and he ingested some of her special soup that contained a hallucinogen meant for me," Arianne said in a worried voice as she helped Commander Harriman haul Jim to his feet. "Doctor McCoy treated him, but maybe it wasn't…"

Commander Harriman shook his head as they helped Jim to sit at the table, "No, it's nothing to do with an allergic reaction," he replied in a gentle voice as he lifted Jim's chin. "Cadet Kirk, can you hear me?"

There was silence for a moment and then Jim suddenly blinked, "What happened?" he asked in a groggy voice as he blinked and suddenly realized he wasn't alone. "I need to see a counselor, don't I?"

"I'll talk to Professor Guinan for you," Commander Harriman said in a gentle voice. "For now, however, I want to talk to you in private. Ensign Pike, if you'll give us a few moments…"

Arianne nodded and gently patted Jim on the shoulder, "Jim," she said gently. "Let him help you."

Jim nodded and silently watched as Arianne left the canteen and then turned back to Commander Harriman; he was surprised to see that the Commander looked more concerned than anything.

* * *

_**Academy Classroom – 2000 H**_

After half an hour of walking around to collect her thoughts and strength, Arianne entered the classroom just in time to see Professor Khan dividing a class into pairs. She silently walked to where he stood.

"Ah, Ensign Pike, it is good to see you are feeling better," Professor Khan said in a gentle voice as he gestured to Serij. "Serij, are there any cadets who are not yet paired with another for this exercise?"

Serij immediately walked over to the two of them, "I believe Cadet Uhura is not paired with anyone."

"Where is Cadet Uhura?" Professor Khan asked, disturbed by Cadet Uhura's silence that evening.

Serij gestured over to a corner of the room where Uhura was gathered with Elizabeth Dehner, Christine Chapel, and Gaila. Professor Khan raised an eyebrow, smirked, and then turned back to Arianne.

"Serij, would you be troubled at pairing with Ensign Pike for this particular exercise?" Professor Khan asked in a smooth tone as he handed Serij a PADD. "There are your instructions. Read them carefully."

Serij took the PADD and nodded, "Ensign Pike, if you will just follow me into one of the empty group rooms," he said in a low voice. "There, I will explain the purpose of this exercise from Professor Khan."

Arianne nodded and, ignoring the uneasy feeling that crept into her heart, she followed Serij into an unoccupied group room. As the door clothes, she was immediately hit with a barrage of images.

_She stood alone, surrounded by a white fog and dressed in a Starfleet Medical uniform with a gold shirt in her hands. She touched her hair and found that it was in a fancy updo and noticed that all was still._

_Suddenly, Leonard appeared beside her with a med-kit in one hand and a simple bouquet of flowers in the other; he was dressed in his medical uniform and gave her a gentle smile. He silently offered his arm._

"_Let's look to the future together," Leonard said in a gentle Southern drawl. "Take a chance with me."_

_There was a rumble and Leonard suddenly faded from view, as did her attire. She suddenly found herself in a small apartment that had a view of the Golden Gate Bridge from the large living room window._

_"I'm sorry I can't be here to watch you give your speech, Jonathan," Arianne said, as she moved around her apartment, occasionally taking personal items from shelves and placing them in a duffel bag._

_As he lingered on the couch, Jonathan smiled, "It's all right," he replied. "It's good that you were able to be at my side for Trip's funeral, though. He meant a lot to me and I was glad to have the support."_

_"Trip meant a lot to both of us, Jonathan," Arianne said, halting her packing and embracing him for all he was worth. "He would have been proud of what you are going to do tomorrow."_

_Jonathan nodded and felt comforted by her arms around him, "I hope you won't be gone for very long," he gently admitted, as he caressed her hands. "El Auria seems like it's far away from Earth."_

_"__The Mandarin __will be back as soon as we complete our work on El Auria," Arianne stated, as she kissed his hands and resumed her packing. "When I return, we'll work on planning our wedding."_

_Smiling, Jonathan watched her continue to clean her apartment, "I'll miss you," he finally said, turning to leave. "Just remember that I'll be thinking of you and anxiously awaiting your return, Imzadi."_

_As Jonathan quietly left the apartment, Arianne finished packing and quickly sealed her duffle bag._

"…_You have been given a second chance to relive your life," Arianne suddenly heard Spock's calming tone echo through her mind as the vision faded. "Embrace it. Only you have the key to tomorrow."_

"Spock…"

Arianne suddenly jerked backwards and felt someone catch her. She opened her eyes to see Serij standing at the table with a deeply shocked expression on his face. Fortunately for her, the room was soundproof.

"Relax your mind, Ensign Pike," Arianne suddenly heard Spock say from behind her. "All is well."

Serij suddenly looked ready to be sick, "Professor Spock, I was initiating the exercise on Professor Khan's orders," he said in an anguished voice. "I-I had no idea that anything like this would happen."

"It is not your fault, Assistant Serij," Spock replied tonelessly. "I would like to speak with Professor Khan, however, about his methods. Ensign Pike, you are dismissed to your dormitory."

Still shaken by the experience of the 'exercise', Arianne nodded and left the room, unaware that both Spock and Serij were following closely behind her. She saw students coming out of other group rooms.

"_Your mind is weak," _Arianne suddenly heard a faint whisper say in her mind. _"You are conquerable."_

Her eyes widening, Arianne stopped in the middle of the room. Someone had entered her mind.

"Professor Khan, I wish to speak with you privately," Arianne suddenly heard Spock say in a stern tone.

Well aware that she was earning curious stares from other students because of her sudden strange behavior, Arianne swallowed hard and quickly left the room without so much as a look at anyone.

* * *

_**Admiral Archer's Office – 2100 H**_

"Miss Uhura, I really see no concern about Ensign Pike seeking extra tutoring from Professor Spock after class hours," Admiral Archer said in a semi-annoyed tone as he sat behind his desk and read the PADD containing the lengthy report that she had compiled on Arianne's activities and conduct since September.

Nyota sighed and rolled her eyes, fidgeting in the visitor's chair she had chosen to sit in; she had snuck out of Professor Khan's class after seeing Serij lead Arianne off into a group room. In her mind, all Arianne Pike had done since coming to the Academy was seduce professors into passing her. Spock's sudden arrival to Professor Khan's class had been the last straw for Nyota and she had taken action.

"If you have concerns about Ensign Pike, Miss Uhura, it might be a good idea to share them with Ensign Pike before coming to instructors or Starfleet Command with them," Admiral Archer continued as he handed the PADD back to Nyota. "I suggest you focus your energies on something other than this."

Her eyes widening in shock and anger, Nyota pocketed the PADD, stood, and stormed out of the office.

Admiral Archer sighed and looked at his desk; everything was becoming more complicated with the passing days.

The secret of Arianne could never be told, but Admiral Archer knew that he would have to do something about her.

* * *

_**Dormitory – 2300 H**_

Jim's loud snoring was the only thing keeping Arianne awake enough to read the PADD titled 'Courage to the Captain' that Commander Harriman had asked him to give to her, along with a few other readings. It was a very long book.

The many readings were only part of what Commander Harriman had in mind for helping her prepare for the Kobyashi Maru, Jim had told her when he had gotten back to the dorm two hours earlier. It was nice to have both Jim and Commander Harriman helping her to be ready to take the Kobyashi Maru at the end of the semester, but Arianne still felt as if she should do her best alone and prove to everyone at the Academy that she was a Pike.

Arianne was so engrossed in the chapter about being an example of confidence that she didn't hear the door slide open and closed. She sighed, blinked tiredly, and lay back on the couch. Sleep was something she craved.

"Did you and Jim have another late night study session?" Arianne suddenly heard Leonard ask as he walked around the couch and stood in front of her in his medical attire, complete with med-kit in hand. "You look so exhausted."

Arianne sighed, but before she could reply, the PADD in her pocket began to vibrate, "Oh, hang on," she said, scoffing as she took her personal PADD out and looked at it. She immediately swore and set it on the floor.

"Admiral Archer decided to move my Kobyashi Maru exam to the 23rd of November," Arianne replied, immediately catching the concerned expression on Leonard's face. "I get to spend my birthday alone in a do or die situation."

Leonard sighed and sat down on the couch next to her, "First of all, it's only a few hours long," he replied in a gentle voice as he took her hand in his own to calm her down. "Secondly, you won't be alone. There are those who care."

"I'm not popular here, Leonard," Arianne replied in a soft voice. "I'm here now because I've been locked out of my dorm for the last few days. Marla and Christine changed the code and never told me what it was. I've been finding random places on campus to sleep for a few hours at a time. Some days I don't feel worthy of the name 'Pike'."

Overwhelmed, Arianne suddenly began to cry, "Shh," Leonard said in a soothing tone as he put an arm around her and held her close to him. "I promise that I'll do whatever I can to help you, Arianne. It's all gonna be okay, darlin."

* * *

May I please have some detailed reviews?


	22. November 2256: New Friends, New Fates

_**November 2256**_

_**Academy Shuttlebay**_

"Keptin Pike, eez your daughter expecting you?" Pavel Chekov, who had just recently turned 15, asked as he followed Chris out of the shuttle and into the Academy shuttlebay with bags in his hands.

Chris shook his head and quickly took his bag from Pavel's shoulder, "No, Arianne's not expecting me to be back in San Francisco until December," he replied in a gentle voice. "However, when Admiral Barnett told me that Admiral Archer was forcing Arianne to do her Kobyashi Maru on her birthday…"

"Aye keptin," Pavel stated in an understanding voice. "You vanted to be here to support her."

Chris nodded, "I vorry, keptin," Pavel continued. "Vill my fazzer be able to find me?"

"No, Pavel, he won't," Chris replied in an unsure tone. "You will be safe at the Academy from all of that."

Pavel nodded and self-consciously looked down at the clothes he had been forced to escape from his father's house in Russia in; worn boots, oversized jeans, and a thin shirt. He looked like a beggar.

"I am grateful for you carrying my things in your bags, keptin," Pavel said in a nervous voice as he gazed around the large shuttlebay filled with nice looking transportation vehicles. "Is it alvays so quiet here?"

Chris smiled at Pavel as a father would a curious child, "It's only 0430, so not much is happening yet," he said in a gentle tone. "I think the only shuttle out right now is—"

Suddenly, the roof hatch opened and a shuttle began to descend into the bay only yards from where Chris and Pavel were standing. The shuttle quickly touched down and its engines died immediately.

"What in the world?" Chris muttered, confused as to why a shuttle was out so early in the day.

Pavel gasped and took a few steps back, but before Chris could intervene, the shuttle door slid open and Arianne came down the ramp with an arm around Leonard, who was pale and trembling uncontrollably.

"Father!" Arianne said in a shocked voice as she and Leonard touched the ground. "You're home!"

Relieved to be back on solid ground, Leonard moved away from Arianne and immediately frowned when he caught sight of the poorly dressed, slightly battered young man lingering next to Captain Pike.

"I came to watch your Kobyashi Maru," Chris replied in a gentle tone as Arianne gave him a gentle hug.

Leonard, meanwhile, had walked over to Pavel and had opened his med-kit, "Where'd you get the bruises and black eye, kid?" Leonard asked as he scanned Pavel with his medical tricorder.

"Keptin Pike?" Pavel asked, nervous as to why some strange human man in blue was scanning his body.

Chris sighed, "Pavel, it's all right," he said in a gentle voice. "You can trust Doctor McCoy to help you."

"I-I cannot," Pavel replied in a trembling voice. "Это является слишком открытым из места."

Having learned Russian among many other Terran languages at the school in Iowa, Arianne frowned and then sighed, "Вам не будут вредить здесь," she said in a soft voice as she gazed at Pavel. "Есть место по имени Starfleet Медицинский, где Вы можете быть вымыты, даны некоторую хорошую одежду, и есть люди там, которые могут помочь Вам."

"You vill come with me, yes?" Pavel asked, immediately trusting the gentle nature that Arianne showed.

Arianne nodded and extended her hand in a gesture of goodwill. Pavel took her hand and tried to stop his body from trembling as he tried to move. "Valking is too hard for me," Pavel said in a tired voice.

"What's your last name, kid?" Leonard asked as Arianne helped Pavel to sit on some empty cargo boxes.

Pavel gazed at Leonard silently for a moment before speaking, "Chekov," he replied softly.

"Aren't you some famous Russian scientist or something?" Leonard asked in a confused tone. "I read about you in one of my class textbooks. I don't know what you'll find so fascinating about California."

Without warning, Pavel began to tremble and cry, "Вы читаете о моем отце, Андрее Чекове, в ваших книгах," he sobbed, still holding to Arianne's hand. "Андрей был замечательным ученым и имел счастливый дом со мной и моей матерью много лет. Однажды, однако, наш дом подвергся нападению неизвестными людьми, и моя мать была убита в защищении меня. Андрей стал обезумевший от гнева после этого и..."

"Pavel, stop," Chris said in a concerned voice as he reached for his communicator. "I'll call Starfleet Medical and ask them to transport us directly there. Just relax; you're going to be all right."

His eyes glistening with tears, Pavel nodded and released Arianne's hand to hug himself tight, "Captain Pike to Starfleet Medical," Chris said as he took his communicator out of his pocket and opened it. "Four to beam directly to the patient bay. Inform Admiral Archer that I found the one we were looking for."

Leonard suddenly looked to Arianne, "Happy birthday," he said in a gentle voice. "Thanks for the ride."

Before Arianne could reply, Pavel suddenly dropped to the floor and the four of them dematerialized.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical Psychiatric Center – 0600**_

"Pavel, it is not forever," Arianne explained in a gentle voice as she sat down in the visitor's chair next to the bed where Pavel was resting with his legs in a stasis field. "You need the time to rest and heal."

After the group had arrived at Starfleet Medical, Dr. Puri had taken control of the situation and had sent Leonard off to tend to Pavel under Arianne's supervision.

Pavel had been cleaned up, given hospital pajamas to wear, and immediately transferred to the psychiatric section of Starfleet Medical for deprogramming and slow integration into the Academy environment. It was a precarious situation.

"I have not been to a hospital since before my mother…" Pavel said in a faint voice as he looked at Arianne and found himself relieved to see her gentle expression. "This is all wery strange."

Arianne nodded and gestured to the driplines in Pavel's hands, "Yes, but you are safe," she said in a gentle voice. "I seem to remember reading some articles about you when I went to school in Paris as a teenager about your taking advanced academics at such a young age. How did you feel about that?"

"I alvays enjoyed learning," Pavel replied in a peaceful tone. "It is easier than trying to fit in vith ozzers."

Pavel sighed and looked to the folded blanket that sat on the bedside table, "Is that for me?" he asked in a tired, yet hopeful voice. "Ze shot I vas given is making me tired. I am glad nothing in me is broken."

Letting out a patient sigh, Arianne picked up the blanket, unfolded it, and covered Pavel with it, "In the next few days, you should be well enough to start looking at what you might want to do at the Academy," she said in a gentle voice. "You have the potential to do anything you want to do."

Before Pavel could reply, the door slid open and Chris came into the room with several styluses under his arm, "Hello Pavel," he replied in a warm tone as he nodded at the young man in bed. "Arianne, Doctor Puri and Admiral Archer want a word with you and then you had better go and get ready."

"I will visit you later, Pavel," Arianne promised as she moved towards the door. "Have a good rest."

Pavel nodded and Arianne was silent as she left the room. Her father would take care of Pavel while she was off at her exam and she would take care of him later so that her father could return to Iowa.

Arianne was so preoccupied with mentally preparing for her Kobyashi Maru that she accidentally walked into Admiral Archer, "Oh, excuse me!" she said in an embarrassed tone. "I'm sorry, Admiral Archer, I—"

"Good luck on your Kobyashi Maru exam today," Admiral Archer stated in a sincere tone. "I know that you're concerned about Pavel, but there's no need to be. Focus on proving your worth today."

Suddenly feeling like Admiral Archer and the rest of the bigshots wanted her to fail, Arianne nodded curtly and balled her hands into fists, "I will exceed expectations today," she said in a firm voice.

"See that you do," Admiral Archer said in a firm tone, secretly impressed by Arianne's stubbornness.

Arianne nodded and walked off down the hallway towards the exit door, spotting Leonard in Dr. Puri's office out of the corner of her eye. Leonard and Dr. Puri seemed to be deeply engaged in conversation.

Not wanting to bother anyone for wishes of luck, Arianne quickly and quietly left Starfleet Medical.

* * *

_**Bridge Simulation Room – 0800**_

The doors slid open and Arianne, now clad in an exam jumpsuit, entered the 'Bridge' and gazed at the crew she would be commanding for the exam. Some of the stations were occupied by familiar faces.

Phlox was at the Medical station, much to her surprise; Nyota was at the Communications station; Hikaru was at the Helm station; Elizabeth Dehner was at the Science station; Engineering was occupied by Monty Scott; Environmental Control was occupied by Christine, but the other stations were empty.

The door suddenly slid open and Leonard, Jim, and Commander Harriman came into the room, all three of them dressed in exam jumpsuits. Arianne swallowed hard as the three men looked at her silently.

"Welcome aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise," Arianne said in what she hoped was an authoritative tone.

Jim and Leonard exchanged a look, but Commander Harriman smiled and handed Arianne the PADD containing her assignment, objective, and what the adjudicators would be looking for from her.

"Kirk, take Operations," Arianne stated in the same tone. "McCoy, take the nav/tactical station."

Knowing that part of Arianne's performance grade was based on how well her 'crew' took orders, Jim and Leonard immediately moved to take their assigned stations. Arianne let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"I object to this simulation," Elizabeth Dehner suddenly said, rising from her station. "I refuse to participate in this farce of an exam with an incompetent commander. May I be dismissed?"

Arianne swallowed hard, well aware that Commander Harriman and the other Admirals were watching her from an observation station above the room. "If you have issue with my command, Miss Dehner, feel free to leave my Bridge," she said in a firm, authoritative tone. "Is that understood?"

Elizabeth Dehner nodded and swiftly walked off the Bridge, ignoring the glares she was getting from the others and Commander Harriman as she left. A moment later, Marla McGivers entered the room and looked around, as if she were slightly uncertain as to where she was. Arianne rose from her chair.

"McGivers, please take the Science station," Arianne stated in an official tone as she gazed at Marla.

Marla nodded and quickly made her way over to the Science station as the lights on the Bridge dimmed.

"10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1," an automated voice said over the intercom. "Simulation initiated."

"Captain, we're getting a distress call from the U.S.S. Kobayashi Maru," Nyota reported from her station as she turned to look at Arianne. "They were on a routine patrol and inadvertently struck a "gravitic mine" in the Klingon Neutral Zone and is rapidly losing power, hull integrity and life support."

Jim looked over at Arianne, "The message included co-ordinates to their exact location," he reported.

Arianne nodded, "What is our distance from the Neutral Zone?" she asked, gazing at Leonard.

"We're the only ship in range," Leonard replied, working the console. "ETA is about 5 minutes."

For a moment, Arianne was silent and then sighed, "Ops, relay the co-ordinates to Navigation," she ordered in a sharp tone. "Navigation, plot the fastest possible course to the co-ordinates. Once the course is plotted, Helm; engage at maximum warp. We are about to be in violation of a treaty with my orders, so anyone who chooses to object, do so now and I will make note of it in my personal log."

There was silence and, taking that as loyalty, Arianne sat back in the command chair and waited.

"Course plotted and laid in," Leonard replied in an official tone; he focused his gaze forward.

Arianne nodded, "Engage at maximum warp," she ordered in an official tone. "Communications, inform medical to prepare for possible casualties. Ops, direct all spare power to weapons, engines, and shields. Tactical, raise shields and power up weapons. Communications, send a message that we're coming."

Murmurs of assent filled the Bridge and as the orders were carried out, Arianne took a moment to read over the PADD that Commander Harriman had given her. She then set it on the arm of the chair.

"We have reached the location of the Kobayashi Maru," Jim reported. "Your orders, Captain?"

Arianne quickly got to her feet, "Onscreen," she said as she moved to the middle of the Bridge.

Suddenly, the image of a battered ship appeared on the viewscreen. An alarm suddenly sounded.

"Sensors are detecting Klingon warships approaching from the aft position of the Kobayashi Maru," Jim stated as he gazed at Arianne. "Their weapons are fully charged and their shields are at maximum."

Arianne thought for a moment, "Try and lock a tractor beam on the Kobayashi Maru," she ordered.

Jim nodded and worked the controls, silently swearing when the warships began to fire at both the Kobayashi Maru and the Enterprise. The ship rocked, but Arianne held tight to the nearest console.

"The Kobayashi Maru's shields are down to almost zero," Jim reported in a concerned tone.

Arianne nodded, "Pull the Kobayashi Maru out of the Klingon vessel's firing range as much as possible and then prepare to beam any survivors over to our vessel," she said in a relatively calm tone.

Before Jim could react, however, another shot hit their ship and the tractor beam exploded.

"Weapons are disabled and shields are dropping," Leonard replied in a concerned tone.

Arianne sighed, "Okay, new plan," she said in a commanding tone. "Disable the weapons and divert all available power to the transporters. Lock on to and beam out as many Kobayashi Maru crewmen to the escape deck as you can within a span of two minutes. In two minutes, I'll activate the self-destruct sequence and order a complete evacuation of the Enterprise. You have your orders; carry them out."

Suddenly, the Klingon vessels fired at the Enterprise, causing massive explosions, "Shields have failed and the self-destruction sequence is offline!" Jim yelled. "One more shot will finish us."

"Evacuate the Enterprise," Arianne ordered in a commanding tone; she tapped the order into the conn.

There was a flurry of noise as a ship-wide evacuation alarm sounded. Everyone but Arianne got up from their stations and rushed off the Bridge as if they were actually evacuating a doomed ship.

Once the Bridge was clear, Arianne took a seat at the Helm and tied Navigation into the station. She quickly set a collision course for the Klingon vessels and inputted it. She then took a deep breath.

As the 'Enterprise' surged towards the Klingon vessels, static filled the Bridge, "Captain, our casualties were light, but we've got at least half the Kobayashi Maru crew in pods," a voice filled the air. "Half of the crew succumbed to injuries during the Klingon attack. The last few pods just left the ship."

"Understood," Arianne said in a solemn voice as the ships began to collide. "God speed to all of you."

Arianne watched as the ship slammed into the Klingon vessels and how the impact also destroyed the Kobayashi Maru. However, beyond the debris, she could see a group of pods floating off into space.

"Simulation complete," a voice suddenly spoke over the intercom. "Proceed to the briefing room."

For a moment, Arianne was silent and then she rose from her station. It was time for the grading.

* * *

_**Vulcan Embassy**_

T'Pol sighed and adjusted Lorian's jacket so that it would cover the boy completely. It was time to leave.

All of her plans about trying to kidnap and study James Kirk and Arianne Pike had been a failure at her own doing. She had developed feelings for James Kirk in the process, as he reminded her of Trip.

No doubt Soval and Serij would see her departure as a betrayal of sorts, T'Pol thought, as she scooped up Lorian and covered him in her robe to keep him warm.

She needed to return to Vulcan, however, and seek healing for the emotional turmoil she had been suffering from since the birth of Lorian.

Not that Lorian was a problem, T'Pol surmised as she picked up the bag containing their few belongings and moved towards the door. Since his birth, however, she had found herself becoming less stable.

Time on Vulcan would do both her and Lorian good; she would be able to get a handle on proper emotional control and would be able to get rid of her feelings for Cadet Kirk.

Additionally, Lorian would be able to grow up in a proper Vulcan environment and someday excel at the Vulcan Science Academy.

Swallowing hard, T'Pol suddenly winced and keeled over; she could suddenly see Cadet Kirk in her mind.

It had been many years since Commander Tucker, but T'Pol knew that the feelings she had once had for the commander were only present whenever she thought of Cadet Kirk. It was all so very unnerving.

The whole experience at Alameda Station had triggered a frail bond between the two and T'Pol hated the idea of being bonded to someone who didn't know about it. It was better to leave Earth for now.

Unfortunately, as she was about to leave, there was a loud beep over the intercom.

T'Pol sighed, set Lorian down on a chair next to the door, and pressed the intercom button, "This is Commander T'Pol of the Vulcan Embassy," she said in a toneless voice. "State your name and purpose."

"This is Commander Spock," Spock's toneless voice replied over the intercom. "On behalf of the Academy faculty, I would like to make you aware of an assembly that Professor Khan has called for all faculty and Command officials in the Assembly Hall about offering the cadets an education opportunity."

Gritting her teeth, T'Pol tensed, "I fail to see how that kind of information would be relevant for me to know," she replied in a semi-annoyed tone. "I am not a Starfleet Academy instructor."

Before Spock could reply, T'Pol shut the intercom off. She would rather die than come face to face with Mestral's product, Khan Noonien Singh. The Augument was nothing but a harm causing menace according to what she had heard of his work overseas for the last few hundred years.

"Mommy," Lorian whimpered, suddenly opening his eyes and looking at T'Pol. "I'm scared."

Realizing that Lorian was sensing her distressing her thoughts about Khan and Kirk, T'Pol sighed, picked Lorian up, tucked him under her cloak, and left with her bag and son in tow.

The time to leave was now and hopefully there would be someone, anyone, who could help her escape to the safety of Vulcan.

* * *

_**Exam Briefing Room – 1100**_

"A campus wide faculty meeting has been called, so this meeting will have to be brief," Commander Harriman stated in an official tone as he took a seat at the head of the table where Arianne and her 'crew' sat, awaiting the commentary on the exam. Elizabeth Dehner lingered silently by the door.

Arianne sighed, "Sir, although I understand that the Kobayashi Maru is created to be unwinnable, I feel like I could have done more to prove my abilities," she said in a grave tone. "I do apologize."

"All right, hold it right there," Jim suddenly spoke up in a serious tone. "I don't usually have a lot to say about how other people perform in Academy scenarios. Your actions were something that I've only heard about, but have never really understood until now. Your actions helped me to gain closure."

Everyone stared at Jim for a moment, who quickly stood up. "If you'll excuse me, Commander Harriman," he said in an apologetic voice. "There's something long overdue that I need to go do."

"You're dismissed, Cadet Kirk," Commander Harriman replied gently. "In fact, due to the staff meeting, this debriefing will have to happen another day. You are all dismissed to extracurricular activities."

Without waiting for a reaction from the cadets, Commander Harriman stood and silently left the room.

"It's your fault that I ended up banned from taking it," Elizabeth Dehner suddenly pouted. "After I left the scenario, I got yelled at by Admiral Archer and by Captain Pike for unbecoming conduct. They then told me that I'm not going to be allowed to finish my program in three years; that I have to do four."

To Arianne's surprise, Leonard sighed and gave Elizabeth a look, "I'm too much of a gentleman to say what I really think of your behavior today," he said in a firm tone. "However, I will say that I meant what I said about not being interested in you and the reasons why. The exam was important to Arianne."

Not wanting to be the focus of a negative discussion, Arianne quietly rose from her chair and moved towards the door.

Only Phlox noticed her and she mouthed the word 'counseling rounds' to him and he nodded. She then left the room to allow Phlox to handle the situation with the others in his own way.

What she didn't expect to see in the hall, however, was her father. Chris had a smile on his face and immediately hugged her. "Well done," he said in an impressed voice. "Let's take a walk, okay?"

Arianne nodded and walked in-step with her father down the hallway, "Pavel didn't stay awake too long after I arrived, so I left him some things to read and came to see your exam," Chris explained in a gentle voice as the two emerged from the building. "He's taken a liking to whatever you told him earlier."

"Pavel said he's from Russia, though," Arianne said in a confused tone. "I thought you were in Iowa?"

Chris sighed and led Arianne off the path and under a tree, "What I am about to tell you is to remain confidential," he said in a low voice. "During my time in Iowa, I was made aware of a problem with the Space Agency in Russia and Admiral Archer ordered me to investigate it, despite my work in Iowa."

Arianne nodded, but made no comment, so Chris continued, "When I arrived at the Space Agency, I was informed that their star student, Pavel Chekov, had gone home for the holiday period and hadn't come back at the beginning of term," he stated gravely. "The school gave me Pavel's home address and after getting proper attire and supplies, I got transportation into the Russian countryside. It wasn't difficult to find Pavel's home; it was a small farm that had a dilapidated house and a barn, but no animals.

"Oh man," Arianne replied in a concerned voice. "You found Pavel in the barn, didn't you, Daddy?"

Chris nodded and sighed, "I first looked in the house and it was a mess, but nobody was inside," he explained in a quiet voice. "When I checked the barn, I found hundreds of destroyed books and Pavel was lying in the corner, sobbing quietly with blood all over him and all over some ripped up pages. His father, Andrei, had apparently forbidden him from returning to school and when Pavel protested, there was a fight and after beating Pavel and destroying his books, Andrei Chekov went off to be alone."

By now, Arianne's eyes were filled with tears, so she didn't say anything, "It's very fortunate that the Russian Space Academy is a sister school to Starfleet Academy," Chris stated gently. "I got Pavel what he needed from his house and we left Russia on the earliest possible shuttle. He spent the entire ride to San Francisco not saying a word to me and forcing himself to stay awake or being sick. When we landed in the Academy shuttlebay, I was pleased that he finally trusted me enough to speak to me."

"I was thinking of going to sit with Pavel so you can go to the staff meeting," Arianne said in a gentle voice as she composed herself. "I know it's my birthday, but what better way to spend it?"

Chris smiled, "Arianne, you have a heart of gold," he replied. "Have fun and be safe today, all right?"

"Captain Pike, your presence is required at the campus-wide staff meeting," an automated voice suddenly said. "All Academy and Command Staff are to be at the meeting by request of Professor Khan."

Chris sighed, "Ever since J.M. retired from Starfleet to raise a family, I've had to rely on automated reminders for appointments and classes," he said in a monotone voice. "Have a good day, daughter."

"You too, Daddy," Arianne replied, gently giving him a hug. "Call me when you want to get together."

As Arianne took off down the footpath towards Starfleet Medical, Chris came back out on to the path just in time to see Phlox escorting Monty, Hikaru, Nyota, Christine, and Marla out of the building.

All of them looked very embarrassed and none of them were speaking to each other.

A moment later, Admiral Archer emerged with an angry-looking Elizabeth Dehner in tow, "After the staff meeting, Miss Dehner, we'll speak in my office," he said in a firm tone. "Is that understood?"

Elizabeth nodded and rushed down the steps and across the grass to avoid being seen crying. "Where's Cadet McCoy?" Chris asked, worried that Leonard had snuck off and was now up to no good.

Before anyone could reply, Leonard came outside and, ignoring the crowd, he quietly made his way down the steps and headed down the footpath in the direction that Arianne had gone minutes ago.

"Cadets, go do something useful," Admiral Archer suddenly snapped. "You'll most likely be debriefed on the meeting after it's over. For now, though, go be productive and don't eavesdrop on the meeting."

Understanding themselves to be dismissed, the group quickly walked down the steps and scattered in different directions. Chris looked at Jonathan, who suddenly looked both shocked and amused.

"Let's get to the meeting, shall we?" Chris said before Jonathan could open his mouth. "Come on, Jon."

Admiral Archer nodded and walked in-step with Chris down the path, both of them extremely curious.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical Psychiatric Center – Recreation Room - 1200**_

"I feel so calm today," Lara spoke in a gentle voice as she and Arianne walked along the small indoor track in the recreation area of the center. "This walking is helping me to feel free from stress."

Arianne nodded; she had arrived to visit Lara and had suggested a therapeutic activity to draw Commander Harriman's wife out of her shell. Lara had been eager to do some walking on the track.

"That's good," Arianne replied in an encouraging tone. "You seem so happy today."

Lara smiled and suddenly, her gaze drifted into the next workout room, "Is that the Kelvin baby?" she asked in a surprisingly curious voice. "He looks so much like his father and mother."

Arianne stopped and gazed where Lara was looking; she then saw that Jim was in the next workout room doing sit-ups while talking with Dr. Puri, who was making notes on a stylus and scanning him.

"Yes, that's Jim," Arianne replied in a confused voice. "What on earth is Jim doing here, anyway?"

Lara looked thoughtful, "I would like to meet Jim," she said in a gentle tone. "He seems so brave."

"Jim's a really private person, but I'll let him know," Arianne replied, unsure of how Jim would react.

Lara sighed and moved over to the window. She smiled and gently knocked on the glass with her hand.

Arianne watched as Jim suddenly sank to the floor and began to breathe heavily for a moment before relaxing and saying something to Dr. Puri. She also saw Dr. Puri smile at Lara and talk to Jim briefly.

"I'm foolish," Lara suddenly said in a hollow tone. "I think of myself too much and not everyone else."

Arianne suddenly looked concerned; Lara had been making remarkable progress since they initiated daily visits last month, but would seeing Jim, a reminder of the Kelvin incident, prove to be too much?

"Because of you, Arianne, I can speak in full sentences again," Lara said in a calm voice as she watched Dr. Puri help Jim to his feet and sit him down on a bench. "I want to do what you do; to help people."

Arianne smiled as Lara turned to face her, "I also want to show love to John again, but I do not know how," Lara said in a worried tone. "I am worried that he will leave and take up with someone else…"

"I am not the person that can show you that," Arianne replied softly, her heart aching over the fact that nobody would ever see her desirable enough to want to marry her. "I know nothing about love."

Lara looked very surprised, "I'd love to share some memories I have of when John and I were courting, if you have the time," she said in a gentle, reassuring voice. "Would you like to stay for lunch?"

"I'd love to," Arianne replied gently, ignoring the aching in her leg from all the walking. "Shall we?"

Lara nodded and smiled at Arianne as they walked out a side door of the rec area. Just barely a moment later, the main door opened and Leonard came into the room with a med-kit in one hand and a PADD in the other.

He saw Jim and Dr. Puri come out of the other rec room and frowned; where was Arianne?

"Arianne just left the room with some woman," Jim stated, seeing the desire for Arianne that Leonard had in his face and eyes. "Doctor Puri wasn't busy, so we were just talking about some stuff."

Leonard nodded, "She's probably doing counseling rounds," he said slowly. "I just wanted to see her…"

"I believe that Doctor Piper isn't busy if you need to talk to someone," Dr. Puri said in a professional tone. "I need to go to the staff meeting, but Dr. Piper is around. See you later, Cadets; be safe."

Leonard sighed, "Isn't Doctor Piper that guy who heads the AA group you sneak off campus to go to?" Jim asked in a nonchalant voice. "Maybe he can actually tell you to tell Arianne how you feel about her."

"How do YOU know how I feel about Ensign Pike, Jim?" Leonard asked in a defensive tone.

Jim shrugged, but looked amused, "You talk in your sleep about seeing a sunset with her," he replied.

Leonard blushed, "I don't MEAN to have feelings for her," he hissed, embarrassed. "I'm still recovering from my divorce and I never thought I would fall in love ever again. Yet, there's something about her…"

"Let's go grab some lunch from the canteen and you can tell me more," Jim said, suddenly cutting Leonard off with a grin. "It's Arianne's birthday and if you really want to impress her, I can help you."

Leonard sighed, but followed Jim from the room, determined to show Arianne that he cared for her.

Little did they know, however, that Elizabeth Dehner had been in the sauna and had overheard their entire conversation about Arianne. Now, her jealousy and rage against the 'Academy freak' had peaked.

Everyone loved Arianne's words, but what was Arianne Pike like in an actual crisis? Elizabeth wondered as a plan began to form in her mind; one that would expose Arianne Pike for the weakling that she was.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical Psychiatric Center – Atrium – 1230**_

"…It was dawn before John and I finally got back to town, soaking wet from the rainstorm," Lara said in an amused voice as she sipped her coffee. "While I rested, he sent a tow truck for the car that had broken down. When I woke up, John took me for a walk by a waterfall and proposed to me."

Arianne smiled, pointedly ignoring the soup that one of the kitchen staffers had brought to her; she had enjoyed the story and suddenly seemed hopeful about her own love life.

The stories that Lara had been telling were also a good distraction from the uncomfortable side effects of nausea and fatigue, Arianne thought as she listened quietly.

"Nyet, I am fine," Arianne suddenly heard a soft, very familiar voice say. "Eez there food here?"

Arianne turned to see Pavel being escorted into the atrium by one of the orderlies, "Ah, Ensign Pike, hello," the orderly said in a professional tone as he allowed Pavel to lean on him as much as possible. "He buzzed for help and expressed a desire to eat when I responded to his room. I deactivated the stasis field on his legs and said that he could come to the atrium as long as someone could watch him."

"I vas tired of being in bed," Pavel finished, his tone tired. "Am I allowed to haff a meal?"

Arianne smiled and nodded, "Pavel, you don't have to ask for permission to eat," she replied, giving Lara a smile. "Lara, I'm sorry, but can I get Pavel settled with some food for a moment?"

"Pavel can sit here if he wishes," Lara offered in a gentle voice. "He looks as if he could use friends."

Pavel nodded and took a seat in the empty chair between Arianne and Lara, "I vas vondering if this place had apple juice," he said in a quiet voice as he looked at Arianne. "Keptin Pike let me haff some on ze shuttle ride from a replicator. My stomach ees making noises, but I cannot afford any of ze food."

"The food is free here," Arianne replied gently. "What would you like?"

For a moment, Pavel was silent, "Eez there any soup?" he asked in a worried tone. "I like soup."

Arianne nodded and looked over to the staffer behind the food counter, "What's the daily soup?" she asked in a gentle tone; she wanted Pavel to be as well-adjusted as he could before being released.

"Tomato soup with macaroni and a side of poutine," the staffer replied. "Would you like to try it?"

Pavel suddenly looked curious, "Da, zat vould be nice," he replied softly. "What eez poutine?"

"It's good, don't worry," Arianne stated in a reassuring voice. "You'll enjoy it a lot."

Pavel nodded and sighed, "Ze work your fazzer left me ees all done," he stated. "How can I get more?"

"I can talk to him about that," Arianne replied gently. "While we're on the topic of work, Pavel; what do you like to learn? Starfleet Academy has a lot to teach anyone who is willing to take the time to learn."

Pavel suddenly looked eager, "I vas at the top of my class at the school in Russia," he said eagerly.

As Arianne and Lara listened to Pavel talk about the school in Russia, they were unaware that Marla McGivers had entered the atrium with an apron over her cadet reds.

She saw Arianne talking with two people who appeared to be patients and suddenly felt guilty of helping bully Arianne all semester.

With a sigh, Marla moved back into the kitchen to grab her personal PADD from one of the counters and text Christine about giving Arianne the right combination to their dorm as a birthday present in a text message.

* * *

_**Assembly Hall – 1400 H**_

The last bell rang as Arianne slipped into the hall and took a seat in the very back. Every seat in the hall was filled with those in red or grey outfits and Professor Khan was standing at the front of the room.

"Greetings to all the cadets, Academy staff, and Starfleet Command people who have gathered themselves to this meeting," Professor Khan stated in a smooth tone. "Instead of sharing the idea in such a large group, however, I will give Starfleet Command the courtesy…"

Suddenly, a side door opened and Serij came into the room, not stopping until he got to Professor Khan's side. He handed Professor Khan a stylus, whispered something to him, and then left the room.

"Ah, it seems my assistant has come up with a clever idea of how to share the idea I have already shared with the staff," Professor Khan stated as he looked at the notes on the stylus. "Starting in January, there will be a range of training missions available to any student who is doing well in academic work."

A wave of chatter suddenly broke the silence and Commander Nogura quickly got to his feet, "SILENCE!" he shouted in a voice of demanding irritation. "Please show Professor Khan the appropriate respect."

The entire room fell silent, "The students who meet the academic criteria will be divided into groups and placed under the command of either any instructor volunteers or the top student in their group," Professor Khan calmly explained. "I will be taking recommendations from instructors into account."

Professor Khan then fell silent and gazed at the crowd of students and instructors, "The training missions will consist of opportunities to apply survival techniques and also the different aspects of your chosen field," he stated smoothly. "For those in my class, I will be demonstrating hands-on survival techniques and having hands-on classes for the remainder of the semester. That is all for now."

"Students, you are dismissed," Admiral Barnett said as he stood up. "Classes will resume tomorrow."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Arianne stood up and quickly left the hall before the many other students who were trying to push their way outside to enjoy the free time.

As she was leaving, her PADD vibrated and upon checking it, she realized that Admiral Archer wanted to see her in his office immediately, despite the meeting taking several hours.

What Arianne failed to notice, however, was that Marla had pushed her way through to the floor level to talk to Professor Khan. She had been enamored by him for weeks, but lacked courage to say so.

"Professor Khan?" Marla asked in a quiet voice as she approached Professor Khan timidly.

Professor Khan smiled, "Yes, Miss McGivers, how can I help you?" he asked in a smooth tone.

"I just wanted to commend you for going forward with your idea," Marla said in a nervous voice. "The instructors here are not often open to new ideas. It was very brave of you to put yourself forward."

Professor Khan nodded, "I thank you for your compliment," he replied. "Enjoy your day."

As Marla moved away, Spock rose from his chair and immediately shot Professor Khan a look that indicated that there would be trouble if he flirted with any more students for his personal gain.

"Professor Spock?"

Spock turned and saw Nyota standing there, "Professor Spock, I was wondering if you wanted to assist me with some Romulan dialects this evening?" she asked in a quiet voice. "I could use some help."

"I have a video call with my parents this evening," Spock replied tonelessly. "Maybe another night."

Before Nyota could reply, Spock turned and quickly disappeared into the sea of students and instructors who were heading outside.

He planned to vid-call his parents on Vulcan, meditate, and then send Arianne a message asking when she would like to meet for another counseling session. To him, there was no time for romantics, even if they were with Nyota Uhura.

* * *

_**Admiral Archer's Office – 1700 H**_

"Ah, Ensign Pike," Jonathan said as he rose from the chair behind his desk. "Please come in."

Arianne stepped inside the open door and was very surprised to find T'Pol sitting in one of the visitor's chairs with a large cloak around her shoulders and a bag at her feet. To her, T'Pol looked scared.

"I don't know if you remember T'Pol, Arianne," Jonathan said, suddenly finding himself referring to Arianne as he did when she served under him. "Your memories of your first life may be distorted."

Arianne sighed, "Professor Spock has assisted me in regaining and coming to terms with most of them," she replied, not wanting Jonathan to know that she knew of their romance. "You wished to see me, sir?"

"I am in need of help in leaving the planet discreetly," T'Pol stated in an anxious voice as Arianne moved closer to the desk and gazed at her former colleague. "Earth is not the place to raise Lorian again."

Arianne frowned as T'Pol opened her cloak and revealed Lorian, who was leaning against her; he was sound asleep and dressed in a gray pantsuit. "Lorian is Commander Tucker's son, but nearly dying in an accident during a shuttle flight, I was forced to deage him," T'Pol explained in a solemn voice.

"Has something happened that you wish to leave the planet without anyone knowing?" Arianne asked in a concerned voice as T'Pol covered Lorian back up. "Vulcans can come and go without trouble."

T'Pol sighed, "I cannot explain it," she lied. "Earth is not the place where I wish to raise Lorian."

"If you were to do this, Ensign Pike, it would go a long way in terms of the extracurricular activity section of your Academy service record," Admiral Archer said in a firm tone. "You could be offered a promotion to Lieutenant by next summer based on that. Since you're doing the three year program despite having disabilities, you'll want to do everything you can to stand out in the eyes of Command officials."

Swallowing hard, Arianne nodded, "How soon do you need to leave for Vulcan?" she asked.

"If you can arrange adequate and discreet transportation, I would like to leave immediately," T'Pol replied tonelessly. "I have managed to get in contact with Ambassador Sarek and I will be working as the professional assistant to him and Lady Amanda. Lorian can receive proper education on Vulcan."

Arianne nodded, "I know a pilot who can take you there, no questions asked," she said, thinking of how much Hikaru would love the opportunity to test out his flying skills if he was still talking to her.

"Excellent, can you contact him right away?" Jonathan asked in an impressed tone.

Nodding, Arianne pulled her personal PADD from her pocket and quickly sent a message to Hikaru, asking if he had the time and desire to do her a favor. Almost immediately, her PADD vibrated.

_Arianne,_

_First of all, happy birthday. Secondly, what's the favor?_

_Hikaru_

Arianne quickly typed in a simple explanation that an important Vulcan diplomat needed discreet transportation from Earth to Vulcan that evening If possible. She then sent the message and waited.

A few moments later, Arianne received a reply from Hikaru that he would enjoy transporting a diplomat and that he was grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate his excellent piloting skills to others.

He also said for the diplomat to meet him in the Personnel shuttlebay after normal hours of operation.

"The pilot will meet you in the Personnel shuttlebay after normal hours of operation tonight," Arianne said as she looked at T'Pol with a smile. "Is there anything you'd like to do until you leave?"

T'Pol sighed, "May I wait in the shuttlebay with Lorian?" she asked, worried that Serij would find them and try to stop them from leaving. "I would feel safer waiting near the shuttle with my son."

"T'Pol, you and Lorian can wait in my office," Jonathan offered. "You will be safe here."

Arianne stood up as T'Pol nodded, "I will see Ensign Pike out," Jonathan said as he rose from his chair.

T'Pol nodded and was silent as Jonathan led Arianne from the room. A moment later, Jonathan returned with a tired, solemn look on his face. "Arianne said that she was meeting up with friends," he said. "I was hoping to talk to her about the past."

"If you desire to talk to Ensign Pike, I can wait," T'Pol stated as if sensing his desire to talk to Arianne.

Pursing his lips, Jonathan nodded and silently hurried from the room to catch up with Ensign Pike. He missed her very much.

* * *

_**Canteen – 1800 H**_

"Jim, can you please take this thing off my eyes?" Arianne asked as she felt herself being led into a building by Jim; he had caught her on the footpath from the Command building and blindfolded her. "I don't really like surprises that much."

Jim chuckled, "Okay," he said as he stopped her in her tracks and untied the blindfold. "Just relax and trust me, okay?"

"Why are we standing in the dark?" Arianne asked as she opened her eyes to see nothing but blackness.

For a moment, Jim was silent and then a light suddenly flashed on, revealing Leonard lingering at a table that had a nice tablecloth on it, china dishes, polished cutlery that was wrapped in cloth napkins, and crystal glasses that were filled with water.

Leonard was wearing his Starfleet Medical shirt over black attire and he was clean shaven and smiling gently.

"I heard it was your birthday," Leonard said in a nervous voice as he walked over to Arianne. "Are you up to dinner?"

Arianne looked at Jim, "This was your idea, wasn't it?" she asked in a semi-amused tone. "Does my father know where I am?"

"Actually, Bones thought of all this and asked me for help," Jim replied nonchalantly. "Yes, Captain Pike DOES know about this and I'll be eating dinner with him in his office while we talk about my next few semesters. Have fun and happy birthday."

As Jim left, Leonard offered his arm, "Let me walk you to your seat, my lady," he offered in a gentle Southern drawl.

Arianne nodded and took Leonard's arm, fighting the urge to laugh as he led her over to the table and helped her to sit, "Before you ask about the decor, I've spent the last few weeks running around campus in my spare time, borrowing replicator credits from anyone who would lend them to me," he said in a gentle voice. "Are you okay with fried chicken and sweet potatoes?"

"Yes, but who's going to be making them and serving them to us?" Arianne asked. "The canteen's usually closed at night."

Leonard suddenly blushed, "Jim sweet talked the canteen staff into letting me use the kitchen and its supplies," he admitted in a semi-sheepish voice as he sat down next to Arianne. "I haven't cooked my own food in a while, so I had to make something easy for me to cook and easy for us both to digest. I just wanted to give you something nice for your birthday, Arianne."

"Oh Leonard," Arianne said, her voice an awed whisper as she gently touched his face and suddenly ended up kissing him.

For a moment, Leonard was surprised and then relaxed, enjoying the simple passion of a kiss he never thought he would get.

As Leonard and Arianne continued kissing, they were unaware that Admiral Archer, who had come looking for Arianne, had seen them through the window.

Thoughts of what could be instantly left Jonathan's head as he observed the two pull apart and begin talking softly to one another like lovers should.

Jonathan sighed and left; the past would be better off left in the past. The future would play out how it was meant to.


	23. December 2256 I: Crisis In The Making

_**December 2256**_

Snow greeted Arianne as the blinds in the dormitory common room slid open; it was covering all the footpaths and steps to and from buildings. The sky was puke colored and frost tinted the windows.

"Christine, close the curtain," Arianne mumbled in a groggy voice as she rolled on her side in her bed.

There was silence and then Christine came into the room dressed in sweats, slippers, and a loose t-shirt; she frowned at how tired Arianne looked, "It's almost five a.m.," she said in a gentle voice. "I guess they're still holding classes today, so you might want to get up. You have rounds at six, right?"

"I'm having some killer cramps today," Arianne replied as she pulled herself into a sitting position.

Christine sighed and moved over to her nurse's kit that sat on the table, "Do you need a pain shot to get you through the day or are you going to see Doctor Puri?" she asked as she looked in her kit.

"Just give me a shot and don't tell anyone," Arianne said as she lay back down. "I have to go do counseling rounds before classes. I really don't have time or patience to take any sick days right now."

Christine looked uncertain, but nodded and took a hypospray out of the kit. She walked over to Arianne and gently injected the hypo into her neck. Arianne immediately let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Christine," Arianne said as she got out of bed and smoothed her oversized shirt and sweats down to keep her warmer; she took the empty hypospray from Christine and pocketed it.

Christine nodded and smiled, "No problem," she replied. "I have class in 30 minutes, so I had better go."

"See you later," Arianne said in a gentle voice as she moved into the fresher to wake herself up for the day.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical Psychiatric Center – 0600**_

"Ensign Pike?" a tired, yet very familiar voice whispered into Arianne's ear. "Good morning."

Arianne looked up from the floor and saw a well-rested Commander Harriman standing there in his full Instructor uniform with a bouquet of roses in his hand. "Commander Harriman," she replied in a respectful voice, forcing herself to focus despite feeling awful. "How are you this morning?"

"I am actually feeling wonderful," Commander Harriman replied gently. "I am here for a breakfast date with Lara that we talked about last night during my visit. I know she had an appointment today, but—"

Arianne smiled, "No, actually, I am on rounds this morning," she replied. "Have fun on your date today."

"Ensign Pike, are you all right this morning?" Commander Harriman asked, suddenly noticing that Arianne looked very tired and pale. "You look very unwell. Perhaps you should visit Starfleet Medical—"

Not wanting to risk running into Leonard or worrying her father, Arianne shook her head, "I'm fine," she replied politely, sitting up a little straighter. "It's almost the end of the semester and I'm wearing out."

"Classes are only for a few more days and then it's final exams," Commander Harriman replied in a reassuring tone despite the fact that he didn't buy her story. "From what I understand, you're doing quite well in ALL of your courses and I've also heard that Professor Khan considers you a leader."

Arianne sighed and nodded, "I'm hoping to do well enough in my finals to get a decent placement in the field training next semester," she replied. "Maybe I'll drop by the Academy library later and ask for a tutor to help me put my study notes in order so I don't have a breakdown while I'm studying."

"You'll be fine," Commander Harriman replied confidently. "You are your father's daughter in all ways."

Before Arianne could reply, Lara walked into the foyer dressed in a light blue pantsuit and winter boots that was covered by a warm coat. Her hair was done up in a tight bun and she was smiling.

"John Harriman, where is your coat?" Lara said in a gentle, mock stern voice. "Oh hello, Arianne dear!"

Arianne smiled and stood up, "Lara, how are you?" she asked gently. "You look lovely this morning."

"John and I are going out for breakfast in San Francisco," Lara replied in a cheerful voice. "I'm excited."

Commander Harriman smiled, "As a special treat to all of my students, I cancelled today's Command Fitness class," he said in a happy voice as he took Lara's hand. "The notes I was going to give today can be found on the Academy database. Besides, the snow was really unexpected and I can't exactly expect students to tramp through it just to get to my classroom. It should be shoveled a bit later on, I think."

"John, before we go, I should really check in on Pavel," Lara said in a worried voice. "I hope he's feeling better than he was yesterday. I'm glad Doctor Puri thought to move him to Starfleet Medical."

Arianne frowned, "What's wrong with Pavel?" she asked, as she had planned to visit him that day.

"After supper last night, Pavel became sick in the atrium and Doctor Puri was summoned," Commander Harriman explained, as he had been visiting Lara last night and had seen Pavel get sick. "Doctor Puri took Pavel to Starfleet Medical and diagnosed him with a stomach virus. I think Captain Pike is with him."

Arianne sighed, "I'll stop by and visit him later today," she replied. "I've got homework to do first."

Even though he didn't think Arianne should be doing anything but resting, Commander Harriman nodded, "Lara, we will both go visit Pavel after breakfast," he stated gently. "I promise you."

"All right," Lara said in a gentle voice as she squeezed her husband's hand. "See you later, Arianne."

As Commander Harriman and Lara walked off, Arianne suddenly felt her PADD vibrating in her pants pocket. She took it out and saw that she had gotten a message from Jim that was marked 'Urgent.'

_Arianne, Admiral Archer's cancelled classes for today because of the snow! JTK._

With a sigh, Arianne put the PADD back in her pocket and stood up. It was good that classes were cancelled for the day because that meant she could go back to her dorm, study, and rest a little more.

Nobody would miss her if she took a little time to herself, Arianne thought as she quickly and quietly left the building and trudged down the snow covered path towards Boyce Hall. She needed a quiet day.

"…Attention all students, this is Admiral Archer speaking," a voice suddenly filtered out of the intercoms above every building on campus. "Since it is a snow day and all classes are cancelled, Commander Spock is conducting a study seminar in his classroom at 0700 for all those who wish to prepare for finals."

Even though she wasn't feeling well, Arianne knew that the extra studying would help her feel confident enough to handle the written Med Sim and Xenolinguistics exams. Additionally, Spock would be able suggest to her relaxation and focus techniques that would allow her to be able to avoid panicking.

With a sigh, Arianne moved off the path and trudged through the snow towards the Academy classroom where Spock had held his Xenolinguistics class all semester. She didn't even care if nobody else came.

* * *

_**Classroom - 0730**_

"Ensign Pike?"

Arianne lifted her head and saw Spock standing over her with a stylus tucked under his arm, "The purpose of this study session is to prepare for final exams," he said in a toneless voice. "If you are without a task to accomplish, you may work through some practice questions I have created."

"I apologize," Arianne replied as she sat up and gazed up at him. "I'm a bit tired this morning."

Spock nodded, "If you require a counseling session, nobody else has appeared at the study session," he stated tonelessly. "Therefore, I do have time for a discussion if you require a medium for venting."

"I'm just not feeling well today," Arianne stated, not at all surprised when Spock took a seat in a seat in front of her and turned it around to face her. "Finals are coming up and I'm making myself anxious."

Spock was silent for a moment, "Your anxiety is exhausting you into sickness," he concluded. "It is my thought that you refrain from further schoolwork until you seek assistance from a qualified physician."

"I don't need to see a doctor, Spock," Arianne replied in a tired voice. "I think I just need some rest."

For one of the few times in his life, Spock looked almost amused, "Perhaps it is not so much academics that are troubling you, but matters of the human heart," he stated softly. "Although I am not one for the human custom of gossip, I have heard that Cadet McCoy and yourself are romantically involved."

Arianne sighed, "We had dinner on my birthday in the canteen," she replied in a tired voice.

"Indeed," Spock stated as he handed the stylus to Arianne. "Do you feel up to completing these?"

Arianne took the stylus and skimmed over the questions, "It'll get my mind off of everything else," she replied gently, grateful for Spock's intervention. "Thank you for taking the time to listen, Spock."

"Your expression of gratitude is much like my mother's," Spock replied as he stood up and turned the chair around. "Human emotions such as kindness and gentle humility are very much a part of you."

Smiling, Arianne looked at the stylus and as she began to work on the first question, Spock moved away and over to the back of the classroom. He had seen Nyota enter and linger silently, watching he and Arianne's discussion with a look of disdain on her face. Spock knew that she had assumed the worst.

"Nyota," Spock said in a whispery voice as he approached her. "Are you here for the study session?"

Nyota glared at him, "I wish to know what is going on between you and Arianne," she hissed angrily.

"That is confidential," Spock replied, confused as to why Nyota would want to know about his and Arianne's private counseling sessions when she and Arianne were not even friends anymore.

Swallowing hard, Nyota stepped back, "Spock, I only ask because there have been rumors of Arianne associating with several men on campus and I do not wish to see you hurt," she said in a softer tone.

"If you are accusing Ensign Pike of being a human whore, you are mistaken Nyota," Spock replied, a slight tone of firmness in his voice. "Even though she attends Starfleet Academy, Ensign Pike is also a certified counselor for Starfleet Medical and often visits with clients of various gender and rank."

Nyota nodded and her serious expression suddenly melted into one of compassion, "Forgive me, Spock," she said as she gently wrapped her arms around him. "I was jealous of Ensign Pike and was worried—"

"You need not be worried," Spock replied as he returned the embrace. "Just trust our relationship."

Again, Nyota nodded and pulled away, "I should probably make things right with Arianne now that I know she's not in love with you," she said in a gentle voice. "She is really a very kind person."

Spock nodded and followed Nyota back into the classroom, only to find that Arianne had left and left the stylus on the desk, "Perhaps Ensign Pike gave into her fatigue and returned to her dormitory for rest," he stated as he walked over to the desk and picked up the stylus. "I will send this to her later."

"Now we can be alone," Nyota whispered, smiling at him. "Should we escape to your quarters?"

Spock was so engrossed with Nyota's flirting that he failed to notice Elizabeth Dehner, completely clad in white clothes, sneak down a side hallway and out of the building with a small explosive in her jacket.

Elizabeth had spent the last several days researching how to make simple explosives on the library computers and had said it was part of a science paper. Now, she planned to create massive chaos with it.

* * *

"You have a fever," Jim commented as he opened the door and saw Arianne standing in the hallway with her cadet jacket over her arm and sweat pouring down her face. "Should I go find Bones?"

Arianne scoffed, "He's working," she replied in a tired voice. "Can I just sleep in here for a while?"

"Bones is off campus at some A.A. meeting, but he'll be back by noon," Jim replied as he stepped aside to let Arianne come in. "You can use his bed to sleep. I have to finish some homework I forgot about."

Arianne came into the room and quickly pulled off her boots, "You don't need to tell anyone," she replied in a toneless voice as she walked over to Leonard's bed. "I'm just having female issues."

As Arianne sat down on Leonard's bed, a loud vibrating sound broke out, "Oh, that's my PADD," Jim said as he took it out of his pocket and looked at it. "Gary's asking if I want to come to a party in the library."

"The last time you went to a party at the library, Section 31 kidnapped you," Arianne replied, amused.

Jim chuckled and typed out a reply, "True," he replied. "I'm gonna see if we can have the party in the Cadet Center instead. Gary's the VP of the student union, so maybe he'll let us do that instead."

"If you want me to come, I'm going to rest on one of the couches," Arianne said as she stood back up.

Jim nodded and grinned as a reply appeared on his PADD, "Gary says that it'll take a couple of hours, but the party can be at the Cadet Center," he said in an amused voice. "I'll wake you when it's time to go."

"Screw it," Arianne replied. "I'm going to take a sonic shower to see if that won't help me feel better."

Jim smiled and sat at his desk, "I'll be here if you need anything," he replied. "Take your time, okay?"

Arianne nodded and disappeared into the fresher. As the door slid closed, Jim turned to his PADD and began to work on his homework. He had half a mind to tell Captain Pike that his daughter wasn't feeling well, but he knew that would only infuriate her; he would wait to see what she wanted to do about it.

* * *

_T'Pol was gone and she had taken her half-Human brat with her._ He could sense it.

Rage filled Soval's heart as he entered Lucas Reed's office in the Section 31 building and saw that Lucas was nowhere to be found; the only trace left in the office was a small, handwritten note on the desk.

_The inhabitants of this facility have moved elsewhere. Seek what you need from Starfleet Academy._

Soval growled and ripped the note to shreds. Ever since his escape from the Starfleet jail, he had been hiding in various parts of San Francisco with one objective in mind; to kill T'Pol for her betrayal. Now, with T'Pol gone, his plan had been ruined. Now he couldn't even rely on Section 31 for assistance.

A thought suddenly came to his mind as the pieces of the notes fluttered to the floor; the one responsible for T'Pol's disappearance was Arianne Pike. That worthless human had ruined his plan.

The note was clear, as if Lucas Reed had known what was going to happen; Soval knew that he needed to go to Starfleet Academy, find Arianne Pike, and force her to admit where T'Pol had vanished to.

As he raised his hood and left the building, Soval was surprised to see the amount of snow that had blanketed San Francisco. It wasn't very common for snow to come to this area in this magnitude.

However, Soval also knew that as cold as it was, the weather would work to his advantage in that it would be easier to locate Arianne without interference. Humans had very low tolerance for cold, he silently thought.

* * *

"Pavel?"

Pavel opened his eyes and saw Arianne lingering at the door with Dr. Puri, "Velcome," he said in a groggy voice as he pulled himself into a sitting position. "I vas just sleeping a bit to pass time."

"How are you feeling, Pavel?" Dr. Puri asked as he walked into the room and over to the bed.

Pavel sighed, "I am feeling very much better," he replied softly. "Zere ees not much to do, yes?"

"Doctor Puri, there's a bit of a student gathering at the Cadet Center in about an hour," Arianne said, realizing that Pavel was most likely bored. "Maybe I could take Pavel so he would have something to do."

Dr. Puri was silent for a moment and then nodded, "Pavel, would you like to go see another part of the Academy campus?" he asked in a gentle voice as he gazed at Pavel. "Arianne will take you there."

"Da, zat would be okay," Pavel replied softly. "Zere is not much to do here today."

Arianne smiled, "What would you like to wear?" she asked, walking over to the small closet.

"I should get comfy veering my cadet reds, yes?" Pavel asked as he got up from his bed.

Arianne stepped aside and watched as Pavel came over to the closet and opened it; he took out a pristine cadet uniform and promptly disappeared into the nearby fresher. Arianne looked at Dr. Puri.

"Admiral Archer and Captain Pike pulled some strings to get Pavel attending class with everyone else by next semester," Dr. Puri explained in a quiet voice. "That kid is a genius and he had all the first year courses done within two weeks. I think Captain Pike is going to put him in the Operations track."

The door suddenly slid open and Pavel came out wearing the cadet reds, "Oh, Pavel, you look very handsome!" Arianne said in an upbeat voice. "You are sure to impress people at the party."

"No strenuous activity, okay Pavel?" Dr. Puri interjected, a gentle smile on his face.

Pavel nodded, "You two can teleport from Starfleet Medical so you don't have to go through the wintry mess to get to the party," Dr. Puri said as he gestured out the door. "Both of you be careful, okay?"

Arianne nodded and hurried Pavel into the hallway, "Pavel, we need to stop by the dorms and pick up Jim before we go to the Cadet Center," she said in a hushed voice as they hurried over to the transporter where an Operations officer stood. "When I left, Jim was passed out asleep at his desk."

"Hello Ensign Pike," the Ops officer said in a gentle tone. "Where would you like to go today?"

Arianne smiled, "Tucker Hall, please," she replied, knowing that he would do whatever she asked.

"Showing a new cadet to their dorm?" the Ops officer asked as he worked the controls.

Arianne nodded, "Yes," she replied in a professional voice. "Captain Pike asked me to."

The Ops officer nodded, "The co-ordinates are inputted," he said in a gentle voice.

Arianne smiled and carefully guided Pavel up on to the transported pad, "Energize," she ordered.

Before Pavel, who was nervous about transporters, could speak, he and Arianne dematerialized.

* * *

"…I know you didn't travel five miles in the snow just to talk about your recovery, Leonard," Dr. Piper said in an amused voice as he sat in one of the AA Center's chairs with a cup of coffee. "What's up?"

Swallowing hard, Leonard scuffed some snow off of his boots and stuffed his hands in the pockets of the worn coat that he had managed to get cleaned at the campus Laundromat. He was so unnerved over his sudden feelings for Arianne that he had blown off a shift and had hiked five miles in a winter mess.

"You look as if you're about to be sick," Dr. Piper continued, his tone suddenly concerned as he observed Leonard's withdrawn behavior and his tired expression. "Did you fall off the wagon?"

Leonard blinked and shook his head, "No, I'm still sober," he replied tonelessly. "I'm really scared."

"About maintaining your sobriety?" Dr. Piper asked, concerned by Leonard's erratic behavior.

Swallowing hard, Leonard shook his head and suddenly began to cry quietly, "I think I've fallen in love with a woman who I definitely do not deserve," he said in a pained voice. "Everything's going surprisingly well in my life and I just feel like the other shoe's going to drop and I-oh man…"

Worried that Leonard was going to collapse, Dr. Piper set his coffee down, got to his feet, and hurried over to where the younger doctor stood, "C'mon, I'll get you some coffee," he said in a soothing voice as he guided the shaking Leonard over to the circle of chairs and helped the younger man sit down.

"Thanks," was all Leonard could say as Dr. Piper went over to the coffee machine, poured him a fresh cup of coffee, and brought it back over. Leonard accepted the cup without protest, or even a smile.

Dr. Piper sighed, "All right, so where are all these negative feelings coming from?" he asked, watching as Leonard caressed the warm cup, but didn't drink it. "Why do you think you don't deserve happiness?"

"I'm nothing but a drunk and a loser trying to squeeze himself into a Starfleet cadet uniform," Leonard replied in a hollow voice. "I tried to kill myself, but ended up serving time in the Starfleet nuthouse."

Dr. Piper looked intrigued, "You don't look like a man who attempted suicide," he replied. "In fact, you look as if you're very fascinated and dedicated to the path you've chosen. Why is that, Leonard?"

"When I woke up at Starfleet Medical gutted by what I had done, Admiral Archer assigned me this counselor," Leonard replied, his memory recalling that day. "She was a beautiful woman who had a surprisingly sharp tongue, a blunt bedside manner, and incredible passion for helping others."

A grin appeared on Dr. Piper's face, "Ah, now I know who you're talking about," he said in an amused, knowing voice. "During my time volunteering on campus, I heard about a little birthday dinner than you and Cadet Kirk put together for an Ensign Arianne Pike. I take it that she's the topic of discussion?"

Leonard suddenly looked very ashamed, "She's Captain Pike's only child and I'm stupid to even think that I could have a chance with her," he confessed in a somber tone. "Jim's friends with both of us and he's encouraged me to go for it, but I'm divorced and a recovering alcoholic. I'm not a prime catch."

"Don't obsess over it," Dr. Piper replied gently. "You showed your interest by an act of kindness."

Leonard sighed, but before he could reply, the PADD that was in his pocket started playing a Southern tune. Deeply embarrassed, he pulled the PADD out of his pocket and studied the incoming message.

"Jim sent me a message," Leonard commented as he gave Dr. Piper an apologetic look. "He says that one of the other cadets is hosting a study party at the Cadet Center that's supposed to last all afternoon because there's nothing else to do today. More than likely, Jim won't even glance at any of his notes."

Dr. Piper chuckled, "Perhaps going to this party will help you relax," he replied. "What do you think?"

"I'm not much of a party person," Leonard admitted bluntly. "I might go to keep an eye on Jim, though."

Dr. Piper quickly got to his feet, "I should probably go by campus and see if they need help at Starfleet Medical," he said in an anxious voice. "Because of you, I actually miss working at Starfleet Medical."

Leonard sighed and got to his feet, "Since there's not a transporter here, we'll have to call a hovercab," he said in a resigned tone. "Thanks for the coffee and chat, Doctor Piper. I really appreciate it."

"Anytime," Dr. Piper replied as the two walked towards the door. "Now, let's get back to campus."

* * *

"Hey, Vulcan, are you lost?" Elizabeth asked as she made her way down the shoveled footpath and saw Soval lingering by a snow-covered tree and gazing silently into the snow. "I'm talking to you, Vulcan!"

Soval looked up and it was then that Elizabeth noticed that his eyes were glassy, "If you are ascertaining to my well-being, it is unnecessary," he said in a toneless voice. "My emotions are overriding me."

"Your emotions?" Elizabeth asked in a mocking voice. "I thought Vulcans didn't have emotions."

Soval grimaced and he suddenly scowled, "I seek Arianne Pike," he hissed, barely able to control the rage he was suddenly feeling. "She has ruined my plans and I must deal with her personally."

"She's going to the Cadet Centre for a party and you don't stand a chance with her," Elizabeth replied, unamused and unsurprised that another male Vulcan would want Arianne. "If you want to get access to Arianne, you have to help me plant this explosive there first. It will make it easier for you to get her."

Soval was silent as Elizabeth handed him the explosive, "Go and put this in the Cadet Centre," she said in a commanding tone. "Start the timer and then get outside before it goes off. Hurry up and get going."

"This is illogical," Soval replied as he stared at the explosive. "I do not know where the Cadet Centre is."

Elizabeth scoffed, "I will take you there and show you where to plant the explosive," she said in a commanding voice as she took Soval's arm and began marching him towards the Cadet Centre.

* * *

Old pictures of the NX-01 crew helped to pass the time; Admiral Archer thought as he pulled an old photo album off of his shelf of collectibles and retreated to his corner, very comfortable easy chair.

Porthos was sound asleep in a basket in the corner and he was perfectly happy to remain indoors.

Since he had let any thought of Arianne coming back to him go, Jonathan had found himself in a deep enough funk that he had thrown himself into being the best teacher he could be. Now that it was a snow day, however, he found that he was not only exhausted, but feeling nostalgic about the 'old days.'

"You have an incoming call, Admiral Archer," an automated voice suddenly spoke out.

Jonathan sighed and tapped the vid-phone on the table beside his easy chair. He was relieved when Captain Pike's voice appeared on screen, "What is it, Chris?" Jonathan asked in a tired voice.

"I'm stuck at my house doing work because of the snow, Jon," Chris replied in an amused voice as he smiled at Jon. "You haven't discussed any of the past with Arianne, have you?" Chris asked, worried.

Jonathan sighed, "I was walking around about a month ago and I saw Arianne spending a pleasant evening with Doctor McCoy in the canteen," he said in a defeated tone. "I decided to let go of any past I had with Arianne and let her make her own future. She's not the woman I remember anymore anyway."

"I've noticed that Arianne seems rather take by Doctor McCoy," Chris replied, smiling. "Jon, I've been meaning to ask you about something. I haven't seen Ambassador T'Pol around lately, and…"

Not wanting Arianne's name tarnished, Jonathan swallowed hard, "I enlisted the help of Starfleet resources to help T'Pol take her young son back to Vulcan," Jonathan confessed with a sigh.

"Well, as long as she and her son are safe," Chris replied softly. "Did Arianne help you, by chance?"

Jonathan nodded, a guilty expression on his face, "She knows people that will help her without question," he replied nervously. "I had to get her to help me so that nothing bad would happen."

"I'll never speak of it to anyone," Chris replied firmly. "So, Jon, are you up for a poker game tonight?"

Relieved that Chris had changed the subject without reprimanding him, Jonathan grinned and quickly launched into an explanation about why he hated poker; he didn't hate poker, but Jonathan knew that Chris loved Command Poker Night enough to gently barrage him into making an appearance.

* * *

Arianne sighed as she stretched out on a couch in the Cadet Center and watched Jim as he yelled at Gary Mitchell to stop texting on his PADD and help set up for the party. Mitchell merely ignored him, however, and continued texting to whatever girl he had managed to charm that week.

"Jim, just give me a moment and I'll help you," Arianne replied even though she didn't want to get up from the couch and subject herself to more discomfort. "Mitchell's not very good with decorating."

Jim suddenly swore as Mitchell left the building in a hurry, most likely prompted to by a text. Arianne sighed and got up off the couch; she walked over to the empty food table where Jim was standing with his arms full of crepe paper, balloon pieces, and a small canister of helium that looked stolen.

"Where did you get that stuff, Jim?" Arianne asked in a concerned voice. "You don't have money."

Jim grinned and Arianne silently groaned, but smiled as he passed her the small tank and the balloon pieces, "Can you blow those up for me?" he asked. "I gotta get the tank back before…"

"Oh Jim," Arianne replied in an amused voice as she walked back to the couch. "You are so special."

Before Jim could reply, Madame Guinan came into the Cadet Centre and looked amused at seeing Jim near a 'borrowed' table and Arianne holding a stolen helium tank and balloon pieces. She smiled at the two of them and revealed a bag from behind her back, which she immediately handed over to Jim.

"I decided to contribute some safe food and drink to this party," Madame Guinan said in an amused voice as Jim took the bag with a relieved expression on his face. "Admiral Archer and Captain Pike ARE aware of your party plans, but they'll let things be as long as things don't get too chaotic."

Jim nodded, "Thanks for the food, Madame Guinan," he replied softly. "Do you want to stay?"

"I'm not one for parties, James, but thank you for asking," Madame Guinan replied softly. "However…"

Jim was silent for a moment and then took a PADD from his pocket, "Could you see if Winona or Sam are still on Earth?" he asked in a quiet voice as he offered her the PADD. "I wrote them letters like you asked me to as part of the therapy agreement. I know you said that I didn't have to send them, but I…I…"

"I'll keep an eye out for them during my Christmas travels," Madame Guinan replied as she took the PADD and immediately pocketed it. "Don't forget to talk to your closest friends about it if you need to."

Nodding, Jim turned away and began taking the food from the bag and setting it up on the table, choosing to tune everything else out and focus on his thoughts for once. Arianne was about to ask Madame Guinan a question when Pavel suddenly came into the room with a smiling Hikaru.

"Arianne, zees is my new best friend, Hikaru," Pavel immediately said as they approached the spot where Arianne and Madame Guinan were standing. "I vas in the study area and he came in because of ze party. Ve got to talking and ve are both really smart and ve haff lots in common; so vonderful, yes?"

Hikaru gave Arianne a nod, "Pavel is quite intelligent and we are going to ask your father if we can share a dormitory next semester so that we can help each other get through the remainder of our time at the Academy," he stated in a calmer tone than she had heard before. "We are both in the Operations track."

"That's wonderful, Pavel and Hikaru," Arianne replied in a pleasant voice. "I hope you enjoy that."

Pavel nodded and then led Hikaru over to the food table where Jim had set out the little bit of food Madame Guinan had brought. Arianne watched as Hikaru emptied out the pockets of his cadet jacket and put several small candy bars, bags of chips, and small ration packets that he had 'scavenged.'

"Zees is party food, yes?" Pavel asked, catching Jim's shocked expression. "Ve vish to haff fun."

Madame Guinan smiled and quietly left, trusting that Jim and Arianne had things well under control and that they would be responsible enough to keep the noise level down. She wanted to read, eat some food, have a nap, and go across campus to the Command poker night a little later in the day, as the snow was quickly melting and Captain Pike had invited her. Besides, she enjoyed the banter involved.

Arianne, meanwhile, put the helium tank away and hid the balloons so that Jim wouldn't get too hyper playing with helium; she then turned her attention to mentally planning activities they could do. She knew that many cadets would be anxious about finals and wanted to provide relaxation for them.

* * *

"This basement is highly disorganized," Soval commented as he followed Elizabeth into the basement of the Cadet Center and saw scattered boxes and supplies that were only used for special occasions.

Elizabeth scoffed as she pushed through the clutter and walked over to a small exhaust port that led filtered directly up to the common room. She opened the small port, placed the explosive inside, and programmed it to go off in five hours; that would give her enough time to get out of harm's way.

"I believe you were going to let me plant the device?" Soval asked as he suddenly moved forward and grabbed Elizabeth's wrist to keep her from fleeing. "You are behaving illogically for a human."

Silently swearing at the Vulcan's incredible strength, Elizabeth quickly aimed a high kick at Soval's chest, sending the elderly Vulcan into a pile of boxes just yards away. As he lay there, fading in and out of consciousness, Soval suddenly came to his senses; what was he doing in such a messy environment.

Unfortunately for him, Elizabeth quickly left the room, leaving him alone and unable to stand because her kick had injured his chest in such a way that he was unable to move without assistance.

As he lay there, Soval silently listened to the timer's countdown and prayed that his death would be quick.

* * *

**_Starfleet Academy Cadet Centre – 1700 H_**

Loud music blared through the common and study areas as Jim drank another of the apple juice packets that Madame Guinan had left. At least 100 cadets, all in their first or second years at the Academy, had shown up for the party and were all still sober; Arianne had forbidden any alcohol to be at the party.

Most of the cadets were scattered throughout the common room in small groups, all of them talking or eating the food provided. Arianne, however, was sitting on the couch with Christine and Gaila; she was quietly listening as Christine and Gaila ranted about all of the single guys there and who was available.

As Jim gazed around the room, he saw Pavel and Hikaru at a small table that was also surrounded by a group of Operations and Engineering cadets including Admiral Archer's TA, Monty Scott. From what Jim could hear, the group was discussing different ways that they could improve on what was being taught.

Much to his surprise, Marla McGivers had actually taken time away from her job as Professor Khan's research assistant and had come to the party; she was with Nyota and the two of them were dancing with an over-enthusiastic Mitchell and Finnegan. The only thing missing from the party was Bones.

"Christine, Gaila, I'm going to use the bathroom," Jim suddenly heard Arianne say as she got up from the couch and moved towards the exit door. She motioned for him to follow after her and he did quietly.

As they wandered into the study area, Jim looked at Arianne expectantly, "I'm going to head back to my dorm and go to bed," Arianne said in a gentle voice. "I'm feeling much better, but I'm very tired."

"I'll walk you out," Jim replied in a firm tone. "I don't think anyone will notice that I'm not around."

Arianne was silent as she followed Jim through the study area and down the stairwell that led to the grand, atrium-like entrance of the Cadet Center. As they approached the door, they suddenly heard faint moaning and coughing coming from the basement level. Jim and Arianne exchanged a concerned look.

"There's a Vulcan down there," Arianne whispered, the necklace Amanda and Sarek gave her suddenly making her able to sense the presence of a Vulcan very nearby. "We have to go down there, Jim."

Jim gave Arianne a strange look, but nodded and followed as she hurried down the basement steps to see what was down there; he had never doubted anything she had asked and wouldn't start now.

"Who's there?" a faint, yet very familiar voice asked as Jim and Arianne entered the basement.

Frowning, Jim immediately recognized Soval from the attack during the previous Christmas, "Arianne, he attacked me at a restaurant that Bones and I were at during Christmas last year," he said, his alarm raising as he saw that Soval had been very badly injured. "What happened to him? He looks terrible."

"Some woman in red kicked me into these boxes," Soval replied in a faint voice. "Please assist me."

Arianne sighed and looked around for anything they might be able to use to assist Soval; it was then that she noticed that a vent was open and a small explosive was in it. She shot Jim a look of pure horror; trouble was close.

* * *

Outside, completely unaware of the crisis that was about to unfold, Leonard was walking the now shoveled footpath towards the Cadet Centre. He and Dr. Piper had gotten to campus hours ago, but Leonard had spent time at his dorm and had decided to walk the sleepy campus to gather his thoughts.

"Excuse me, are you looking for something in particular?" a toneless voice suddenly asked him.

Leonard turned and saw that a dark-haired Vulcan had suddenly appeared on the path next to him and was giving him a look that deeply resembled a scowl; the Vulcan was wearing an Instructor's uniform.

"I was just walking around," Leonard replied in a respectful tone. "I need time to gather my thoughts."

Spock raised an eyebrow, "Indeed," he stated tonelessly. "Civilians are usually not permitted…"

"I'm an Academy Cadet," Leonard replied in a slightly annoyed tone. "My name's Leonard McCoy."

Nodding, Spock folded his arms, "If you are a cadet, I am very curious as to why you are not socializing with your peers at the Cadet Center," he stated. "You are friends with a Cadet named James Kirk according to what other faculty and cadets call 'rumors.' Logic dictates that friends stay within…"

Without warning, an explosion rocked the entire campus and nearly knocked both Spock and Leonard to their knees. Spock and Leonard turned just in time to see the Cadet Centre in engulfed in flames.

"What the-?" Leonard said, fighting the urge to swear. "Did the party get a little out of hand?"

Ignoring the cadet's comment, Spock took off at a run for the Command Center; even though Starfleet Command was officially closed for the evening, he had to alert his colleagues of the sudden crisis.

Leonard, meanwhile, hurried towards the Cadet Center to see if there was anything he could do.

* * *

In the confines of the Command conference room, Admiral Archer grinned as he collected a pile of poker chips from the pot that his fellow players had contributed to and subsequently lost.

The poker game itself had been a weekly tradition since classes had started in September and was held under the guise of being a 'review meeting' so that none would suspect anything fun was happening within the rigors that everyone outside the Starfleet Command loop expected of the organization.

As Chris gathered up the cards from Admiral Archer, Admiral Barnett, and the few instructors who had chosen to come to that evening's poker game, the door slid open and Madame Guinan entered.

"Professor Guinan, what a lovely surprise," Professor Khan, who had chosen to attend the event after being invited by Admiral Archer and admonished to enjoy himself. "Will you please join us?"

Madame Guinan nodded and as she moved to an empty chair at the table, the door again slid open and a refreshed looking Commander and Lara Harriman came into the room. Commander Harriman smiled at the others and led his wife over to an empty seat next to where Captain Pike was already seated.

"I haven't played poker in a long time," Lara spoke enthusiastically. "John, let's join in the game."

Commander Harriman nodded, deeply moved that his wife was now able to show enthusiasm for simple pleasures because of Ensign Pike's assistance, and took a seat next to his wife. Chris dealt some cards out to both of them and Madame Guinan as the door suddenly opened again and Spock entered.

"There has been an explosion at the Academy Cadet Center," Spock stated in a toneless voice as he struggled to keep his emotions about the incident in check. "Many are trapped; we need to respond to this crisis immediately."

* * *

**Does anyone wish to please give me reviews so that I feel motivated to continue with this story?**


	24. December 2256 II: Surviving Hatred

**_December 2256 II_**

Flames and ceiling debris surrounded Arianne as she looked down at Soval, grateful that she had covered him from the falling debris. She could feel Jim on top of her, likewise providing protection.

Arianne felt Jim help her up and was horrified to see that there was now a nasty gash on his head and burns on his face, "The ceiling caved in and I think that everyone from the party is down here now," she said, wincing as she suddenly heard screams of terror and moaning. "Thank you for protecting me."

"Always," Jim replied in a pained voice. "I'll stay with Soval and you go see who else needs help."

Nodding, Arianne ignored the pounding of her heart and shoved her way through the debris fields and growing flames to the end of the basement that was below the common room. She could see many cadets scattered across the debris and underneath. Pavel and Hikaru both looked like they had been bruised and burned in the chaos, but they were trying to move the debris to free trapped cadets.

"Arianne?" Nyota suddenly called out from the far left corner of the room. "Gary's hurt badly."

Trying to remember everything she had learned in Med-Sim class, Arianne made her way over to where Nyota was sitting beside Mitchell, who was lying helpless with debris sticking out of his abdomen and his uniform was burned to nearly a crisp. Finnegan was lying nearby, trying to get up off the debris.

"Christine?" Arianne yelled in a loud voice, hoping that Christine had survived and could help her.

There was a loud gasp and Christine coughed, trapped in the far right corner with a group of three first year cadets who were gravitating in and out of shock from falling through the floor and from the fire.

"I have three first-years over here with me and we're trapped," Christine replied, coughing anxiously.

Arianne sighed and coughed, "Listen up!" she yelled in a strained voice. "I'm officially taking command and anyone who can walk should report to Cadet Uhura; she'll help you all get out of here safely. Uhura, there's an emergency passageway on the other side of the room that will eventually lead you outside."

Murmurs and coughing filled the basement as the many who were shaken, but able to walk without help made their way over to Nyota, "Once you've got them out, don't come back in," Arianne said as she made her way over to where Mitchell lay. "Gary, I need you to stay still and awake while I assess you."

"It hurts," Gary moaned as Arianne knelt down next to him. "Please, Arianne; don't leave me here."

Even though she had no medical tools, Arianne shook her head and began doing a basic assessment in her mind to record later, "I'm not going to, Gary," she said in an anxious tone. "Just stay awake."

* * *

"I'm going to ask you ONE MORE TIME!" Leonard roared, fighting the urge to knock Elizabeth into a snowdrift. "HOW DID YOU GET OUT OF THE CADET CENTER WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A SCRATCH…?"

The clearing of a throat prompted Leonard to look away from Elizabeth and he was embarrassed to see Admiral Archer, Captain Pike, Madame Guinan, Commander Harriman, and Lara Harriman standing there, all of them looking concerned, "Doctor McCoy, explain yourself," Captain Pike said tonelessly.

"Arianne's nothing but a disabled tramp!" Elizabeth yelled before Leonard could speak. "She had favors granted to her all the time and did NOTHING to earn them! I hope she DIES in this beautiful explosion!"

Admiral Archer suddenly looked angry and Elizabeth suddenly felt hands clamp around her wrists, "Commander Spock, take Miss Dehner to Starfleet Security," he said in a commanding voice. "Now."

"I have RIGHTS!" Elizabeth yelled, straining to pull away from Spock. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

As Spock dragged Elizabeth away, Leonard looked towards the burning building, "Doctor McCoy and myself will go and see to those who are trapped," Lara suddenly spoke up in an unusually official voice as she noticed fear in Leonard's eyes. "Under Starfleet regulations, commissions can be activated in times of great emergency and I believe this is one of those times. Tell Doctor Puri to get some supplies."

"Doctor Puri's already got some supplies," Dr. Puri's voice suddenly filtered into Lara's ear. "Doctor Harriman, it's been a while since you were on active duty; are you sure you're feeling up to it?"

Lara gave Dr. Puri a look, "I am a skilled surgeon and Arianne Pike is the reason I now have the courage to face reality," she said in a no-nonsense voice. "Now, Doctor Puri, please give me the supplies we need and let's stop wasting time that those trapped people do not have. Every minute counts in this crisis."

"You heard Doctor Harriman," Admiral Archer spoke up in a sharp tone. "Let's get on with our efforts."

* * *

"Nyet, I vill not leave Keptin Pike's daughter in zees mess," Pavel said as he stood there, watching as Arianne talked to Gary softly enough to keep him from moving. "You must go vithout me, Hikaru."

Hikaru silently looked at the shellshocked cadets who had made a sloppy single-file line and were slowly filing out of the basement ruins with Uhura guiding them, "Hikaru, help Jim with Soval if you're too stubborn to leave with those who can walk out. I need to stay with Gary til medical help gets here."

"Please, just let me pass quietly," Gary whispered in a pained voice. "Others need your help too."

Before Arianne could reply, there was loud shouting and Lara Harriman and Leonard came into the mess with their arms filled with medical supplies, "Those who can get out on their own, keep moving!" Lara yelled in an anxious voice as she suddenly spotted Arianne kneeling beside Gary. "Ensign Pike, report!"

"Lara?" Arianne asked as she turned and saw Lara coming towards her carrying medical supplies.

Lara nodded as she reached Arianne, "Doctor Harriman, actually, my dear Ensign Pike," she replied as she gazed down at Gary. "Cadet Mitchell, just lie still and relax. I'm a very skilled Starfleet surgeon."

"It hurts," Mitchell whispered as he gazed up at her. "I just want to pull it out and end it all."

Lara looked to Arianne, "Ensign Pike, go assist Doctor McCoy in freeing those who are trapped and help him give treatment to any wounded," Lara said in a commanding tone. "I can care for Mitchell now."

Arianne nodded and, getting to her feet, she walked over to where Jim and Leonard were trying to assess Soval; rather, Leonard was trying to assess Soval and Jim was trying to tell Leonard to escape while the building was stable, seemingly unable to remember that Leonard had just gotten there.

"Jim, let's go for a walk," Arianne said as she gently took his arm. "How's Soval, Doctor McCoy?"

Leonard sighed as he scanned the unconscious Soval, "Critical," he replied in an aggravated voice.

"Bones, this building's probably gonna collapse," Jim replied in an unsteady voice. "You gotta go."

Arianne sighed at the look on Leonard's face, "Jim, come on," she said in a gentle voice, fully intending to get him outside through the passageway and into the hands of medical personnel. "Walk with me."

"I have a headache," Jim commented quietly as he let Arianne guide him across the debris. "It hurts."

Arianne nodded and Jim suddenly put a hand to the side of his head and groaned, "I have to sit or I'm gonna puke all over the place," he said in a pained voice. "That ceiling debris must have bounced…"

"All right," Arianne replied softly as she guided him over to an empty corner of the basement near the blocked stairwell. She helped him to sit on the bottom stair and gently took his hand in her own.

Jim swallowed hard, "You and Bones need to get out of here while you can," he said pitifully. "I don't really have anyone who will miss me if I die in this, but you have your dad and Bones has his mom…"

"We'll get out through the passageway when you've had a moment to rest," Arianne said, frowning at how tired Jim looked as the cut on his forehead continued to bleed. "Let me look at your forehead."

Jim coughed, but silently allowed her to touch his forehead, "It'll need cleaning and stitches," Arianne said in a gentle voice as she offered her hands to him. "Let's get in line to get out of here, okay?"

Ignoring the sudden throbbing in his head, Jim got to his feet and immediately leaned against Arianne for support, "Shouldn't more rescuers be in here?" he asked as they slowly made their way across the debris towards the lineup at the emergency exit. "There's still a lot of people trapped and dying."

"Cadet Scott was one of the first out and he's trying to determine how long we have before this upper level completely collapses, I'm sure," Arianne replied as they joined the line. "He's some sort of Engineering genius and reads architecture plans in his spare time; he doesn't like holidays or spare time either."

* * *

Just outside the building, meanwhile, Monty had gathered the data he had gotten on the structural integrity of the Cadet Center during the weekends since the start of the semester. Nobody was paying attention to him, as Dr. Puri was helping the small trickle of escaping cadets towards waiting medical personnel and shuttles that had gathered on the path closest to the center.

Admiral Archer and Captain Pike were helping the cadets towards the shuttles, as were the other Admirals and Academy personnel who had gotten a Red Alert call from Spock. Monty was fine with being ignored, but as he studied the data gathered and watched the inferno grow, his worry grew.

"Cadet Scott?" Madame Guinan, who was told by an overstressed Admiral Barnett to just stay out of the way during the evacuation, asked as she walked over to him. "Is that part of one of your projects?"

Monty nodded and showed her the PADD that he had been reading, "The structural integrity of the upper level of the building is weak and the rest of it will cave in pretty soon according to the calculations I just made," he explained in a worried voice. "There'll be a heck of a struggle to get everyone oot then."

Before Madame Guinan could reply, there was a loud cracking noise, "GET BACK!" Monty yelled in an anxious voice as he hurried over to the group. "The upper level is gonna come down like a hail storm!"

Without warning, the upper level of the Cadet Center collapsed in on itself, effectively blocking the emergency exit, trapping escaping cadets under rubble, and trapping hundreds more inside.

"Wake up every member of Starfleet Engineering and get them down here with all of their machines as fast as they can come," Admiral Archer snapped, his anxiety growing. "Our problem just got bigger."

* * *

"Jim, wake up," Arianne whispered as she sat up and saw that Jim was sprawled on the dilapidated stairs unconscious and partially covered by dust-covered debris. She coughed, but didn't try to move him. They had been in line to evacuate when the rest of the ceiling had caved and she had pulled him back.

Loud groans and soft coughing could be heard all the way throughout the basement, "Doctor McCoy, are you all right?" Lara asked as she stood up and touched her back. She had immediately covered the injured Mitchell when debris began to come down on them so he wouldn't be injured any worse.

"I'm fine, but I think that this Vulcan man is dying," Leonard answered in a hoarse voice. "We're probably all going to die in the next few hours now. The rest of the top floor caved in on us."

Hearing Leonard's voice made Arianne's heart jump, "Leonard, did you say Soval's probably going to die from his injuries?" she asked as she quickly gazed in his direction. "Vulcan's not going to like that at all."

"Don't get me started on those green-blooded hobgoblins," Leonard snapped, aggravated that Arianne was talking about Vulcans as if they were her own flesh and blood. "They're way, way too smart…"

Arianne sighed, "I know you have xenophobia, Leonard, but now is not the time for it," she replied in a firm voice as she got to her feet. "Jim got knocked out when the rest of the ceiling fell in."

Swallowing hard, Leonard made his way across the piles of rubble to where Jim lay, "Go help Doctor Harriman," he said in a gruff voice as he knelt beside his unconscious friend. "Be careful darlin, okay?"

Nodding, Arianne moved across the debris to where Lara was, "At least a hundred cadets are trapped and can't be recovered without special equipment," Lara stated in a somber voice. "Nearly two hundred made it out because of Cadet Uhura and the collapse put out the fires, but we are still in deep trouble."

"How's Mitchell?" Arianne asked in a concerned voice. "His injuries are severe; will he live?"

A hacking cough suddenly emerged from a pile of collapsed ceiling and Pavel came out being supported by a shellshocked looking Hikaru, "Vat happened?" Pavel asked in a scared voice. "It vas like a bomb."

"Pavel broke his arm, I think," Hikaru finally spoke in a worried voice. "He was protecting me."

Lara sighed, "Ensign Pike, you examine Hikaru please," she said in a gentle voice. "I'll care for Pavel."

"Vhere is Christine?" Pavel asked in a worried voice as Lara came to him. "I vanted a dance wiff her."

Arianne sighed as she forced Hikaru to sit on a pile of debris, "Christine was one of the very last out of the passageway before the cave-in," she explained, remembering the look Christine had given her.

"Zat Dehner woman did zis," Pavel commented, having grown very afraid of Elizabeth Dehner over the past several weeks as he saw her become more detached from reality with each passing day. "I saw her reading books about bombs in ze library and tried to tell her off, but she told me to keep quiet."

For a moment, Arianne was silent, "You're telling me that Elizabeth Dehner blew up the Cadet Center and trapped hundreds of people just because I chose you over her?" Leonard, who had overheard Pavel and couldn't believe what he had heard. "I think that's a little over the top, even for Elizabeth Dehner."

"I have to contact Ambassador Sarek when we're rescued," Arianne commented as she suddenly began to feel pain in her stomach for the second time that day. "He'll want Soval's body returned to Vulcan."

Lara gazed at Arianne and caught the look of pain on her face, "Are you all right, Ensign Pike?" she asked in a concerned voice as she gently sat Pavel on a pile of debris. "Perhaps you should rest for a bit."

"It's just feminine problems," Arianne replied softly even though a rest sounded very appealing to her.

A sudden pain shot through Arianne's abdomen, causing her to whimper, "Might be the endometriosis progressing," she said in a distressed voice. "I was taking hormones, but they're obviously not working."

A loud alarm suddenly went off and loud groaning filled the air, "Never mind my cramps," Arianne said in an anxious voice as she began to wander over to where she knew at least 20 cadets were buried. "We need to start clearing what we can so that other cadets have a fighting chance. Pavel, Hikaru, Doctor Harriman, and anyone else who isn't injured can feel free to join me in digging people out of death."

As If making herself very clear, Arianne knelt down and began to pick pieces of debris without so much as a whimper emerging from her mouth. Pavel and Hikaru looked at each other for a moment and then walked over to where she was. They immediately knelt down on either side of her and started working.

"What's happening?" Jim suddenly mumbled groggily even though his eyes remained closed.

Arianne gazed over at Leonard, who was sitting with Jim and then over at Pavel, "Pavel, come here a moment," she said in a tone that told Pavel she meant serious business. "I need you to do me a favor."

"Right now?" Pavel asked as he slowly crawled across the debris to where Arianne and Lara were.

Arianne nodded, "You mentioned in one of our talks that you know a great deal about primitive methods of communication," she said in a quiet voice. "Does that include Morse Code, by chance?"

"Da, it does," Pavel replied in a confused voice. "Vat do you vant me to use Morse Code for?"

Arianne smiled, "To let the people outside know where we are and how many of us are trapped," she replied in a gentle voice. "A lot of cadets are trapped, but alive. I need you to tell the outside world."

"Pavel, you can do it," Lara whispered in an encouraging voice. "Remember what I've told you."

Pavel was silent for a moment and then walked over to the caved in emergency exit. He picked up a piece of debris and began to systematically tap it against the wall loudly, "What good will Morse Code do?" Leonard asked in a doubtful tone, irritated by the tapping. "Do you think it will actually work?"

"Bones, it works," Jim spoke in a faint voice. "Morse Code got Starfleet to find all of us kids."

Arianne's eyes widened, "Jim, can you open your eyes and look at Leonard, please?" she asked in a worried voice, quickly ignoring the cramps that threatened to make her cry. "You're scaring him."

Jim's eyes slowly opened, "Bones, my head hurts," Arianne heard Jim say weakly. "Why is that?"

"You have a concussion," Leonard replied as he continued to stabilize Jim's neck. "Don't move."

Lara looked up from where she was tending to Mitchell, "Cadet Mitchell needs pain relief because his vitals are beginning to suffer because of the pain he's in," she said in an anxious voice as she opened the med-kit Dr. Puri had given her. "Ensign Pike, will you please come over here and assist me?"

"Keep tapping, Pavel, that's an order," Arianne said in a no-nonsense voice as she crawled over to where Mitchell was laying with a pained expression and beads of sweat on his face. "Gary, how are you doing?"

Mitchell sighed and winced, "It hurts," he replied in a faint voice. "Doctor Harriman won't let me take it out because I'll bleed to death without proper surgery. How long are we going to be trapped in here?"

There was a sound of laser fire and Christine suddenly wriggled out of the debris in the corner with three of the cadets trailing her like a nervous row of ducklings following their mother, "Um, Cadet Rossini shot himself with his phaser," she said in a worried voice. I tried to get him to come with us, but he was really insistent and said that he'd kill all of us, one at a time, if I didn't take the others and go."

"I should probably make a report of this," Arianne muttered as she fumbled around in her pockets and pulled out a PADD that she had meant to use later for homework. "Command will want a report."

Mitchell raised an eyebrow, "Can you stay here while you make it?" he asked in a weak voice. "It's boring watching people make logs, but it beats listening to Cadet Chekov do that tapping."

"Of course," Arianne replied, suddenly noticing that Lara was gently massaging Gary's feet.

While Arianne made the log, Christine whispered to the three cadets and made her way over to where Leonard was stabilizing Jim's neck, "Doctor McCoy, can I relieve you in stabilizing Cadet Kirk's neck?"

"Bones, don't leave me," Jim groaned in a weak voice. "I'm scared to death."

Leonard sighed, but moved his hands, "Just behave yourself and talk to Cadet Chapel," he replied as Christine moved in and quickly stabilized Jim's neck. "I have to go see who else needs my help."

* * *

"What on earth is that infernal tapping?" Admiral Barnett asked as he checked a crane sensor that an engineer had attached to a piece of the caved-in floor as part of a crane that would lift the upper debris off of the trapped cadets. "Cadet Scott, this crane idea is a little risky for this operation; maybe…"

Admiral Archer and Monty came over to where Admiral Barnett was, "I trust Cadet Scott's judgment, Admiral Barnett," Admiral Archer said in a no-nonsense voice. "What tapping are you talking about?"

"I think we ought tae get on with moving the debris," Monty said in a worried voice. "It will be a process, but the cadets are gonna run out of air if we don't get tae this soon. Is Starfleet Medical packed?"

Admiral Archer nodded, "I just was on the comm-channel with Doctor Puri and more medi-shuttles are en route," he replied. "Admiral Barnett, if you are concerned about some sort of tapping, go and tell Starfleet Communications about it; it may be some sort of communication from the cadets…"

"You mentioned that there was tapping?" Professor Khan, who had just arrived on the scene after hearing from the comm channels that Marla had attended the party, asked as he walked over to where Admiral Barnett, Admiral Archer, and Monty were standing. "It could be a variant of Morse Code."

Admiral Barnett scowled, "Nobody around here knows Morse Code," he answered in a cynical voice.

"I believe Commander Spock may know something about Morse Code since he teaches several Communication classes," Admiral Archer said in an annoyed voice. "He took Cadet Dehner to Starfleet Security and I believe he's still there; go and find him and see to it that he comes back here."

Continuing to scowl, Admiral Barnett nodded and took off across the grass, "Is there any way for another person to fit into the basement?" Professor Khan asked in a curious voice. "I am rather strong and can help free any trapped cadets. Serij is off-duty this evening and I hate to bother him with this."

In all actuality, Khan reasoned, Serij had heard of the explosion and had most likely gone to Starfleet Security to assist in Elizabeth Dehner's interrogation using his mind-meld talents; why, he didn't know.\

"I wouldn't advise going in there, Professor," Monty replied in a concerned voice. "It's too dangerous."

Professor Khan looked amused, "I assure you, Cadet Scott, I do not fear danger," he replied in a smooth voice as he huddled himself in his cloak. "It is very cold out here tonight and it might be warmer inside."

"Professor Khan, with all due respect…" Admiral Archer began, wondering if his colleague was all right.

Professor Khan raised an eyebrow, "Look, Professor Khan, just wait until the crane does its work and then we can see if it's safe, all right?" Admiral Archer asked, not wanting to upset his colleague.

"I'll get the crane started," Monty said in a hasty voice as he hurried over to where the apparatus was.

Admiral Archer sighed, "This Academy is quite different from other places I have worked," Professor Khan commented in an intrigued voice. "There is a deeper process here than I am used to. I do not understand why I am not allowed in to help, but you allowed others in before the ceiling collapsed."

"Medical personnel have special clearance in emergency situations," Admiral Archer replied, gazing at the older man with a look of intrigue on his face. "Doctor Puri's the CMO of Starfleet Medical, but he's claustrophobic and Doctor Harriman and Doctor McCoy volunteered to go in first, anyway…"

Professor Khan looked intrigued, "This Doctor McCoy, I thought he was a cadet?" he asked.

"Leonard McCoy IS a cadet, but he's also a very qualified medical doctor that joined up in Iowa after practicing medicine in Georgia for a while," Admiral Archer replied. "He's become an asset to us."

Professor Khan's eyes widened, "Leonard McCoy?" he asked in an almost horrified voice. "Admiral Archer, I apologize, but I am suddenly not feeling very well. I must go back to my residence."

"Should I call Doctor Puri to let him know?" Admiral Archer asked, concerned by how pale and sick looking Professor Khan had suddenly become. "If you're sick, maybe Starfleet Medical is where…"

Professor Khan held up a hand, "No, I will be fine," he replied weakly. "I am just in need of rest."

As Professor Khan walked off across the snow, a loud cracking sound filled the air and Admiral Archer turned just in time to see a crane lift the biggest piece of debris off the decimated Cadet Center.

* * *

"Even though I am half-Vulcan, I am about to lose my patience," Spock stated as he glared through the forcefield at Elizabeth Dehner, who was sitting on the bench in her cadet uniform looking angry. "Why on earth would you commit such a horrific action against Starfleet because you dislike Ensign Pike?"

Elizabeth sniffed, "I don't dislike Ensign Pike," she replied bitterly. "I hate her and want her to die."

"I do not understand why you hate Ensign Pike," Spock stated tonelessly. "She does not hate you."

Elizabeth snarled, "She stole Leonard McCoy from me and always gets special favors," she replied in an angry voice as she stood up and glared at Spock. "Disabled tramps don't belong in Starfleet at all!"

The door to the Brig suddenly slid open and Sarek, Amanda, T'Pau, and several elderly looking Vulcans entered the Brig looking very serious. Elizabeth gasped in shock and Spock quickly turned around.

"Spock, we were alerted to the crisis by Captain Pike and the High Council insisted on travelling to San Francisco to see if we could do anything to help," Amanda explained as she came forward and noticed Elizabeth standing in the Brig looking ready to kill someone. "Is she responsible for the explosion?"

Spock nodded, "I got some crazy old Vulcan named Soval to help me plant a bomb in the basement of the Cadet Center," Elizabeth spoke up in a toneless voice. "The cadets were having a party there…"

Amanda suddenly looked heartsick and turned away from Elizabeth, "Spock, how many are trapped in the wreckage?" she asked in a worried voice. "Is there anything any of us can do to help?"

"I do not know," Spock replied in a toneless voice as the wall intercom suddenly beeped. "Excuse me."

Sarek, Amanda, T'Pau, and the Vulcan High Council were silent as Spock walked over to the wall intercom and pressed the button, "Commander Spock here," Spock stated tonelessly. "May I help you?"

"Commander Spock, Admiral Barnett here," the voice spoke. "There is reason to believe that one of the trapped cadets is using Morse Code, but nobody can tell for sure. Could you be of assistance?"

Spock was silent for a moment, "Admiral, the Vulcan High Command has arrived to be of assistance in the situation," he replied in a toneless voice. "Where should I direct them to while I come assist?"

The door suddenly slid open and a distressed looking Admiral Barnett entered the room, "I'll see to the High Command," he replied in a distressed voice. "Please proceed to the Cadet Center immediately."

Spock nodded and quickly left, "What of Soval of Vulcan?" a timid voice suddenly spoke behind them.

Amanda turned and saw a shaken looking Serij standing there looking like he'd seen a ghost, "I had heard of the human ritual and was on my way there when I saw the collapse," he said in a faint voice as he gripped the wall and immediately noticed the Vulcan High Council members. "Elders, forgive me…"

"My wife, please take Serij to the Vulcan Embassy," Sarek stated as he turned and gazed at her. "We must discuss the situation with Admiral Barnett and we will tend to Serij's emotional needs later."

Amanda nodded and gently took Serij's arm, "Lady Amanda," Serij said weakly. "Please, let us go."

As Amanda and Serij left, Sarek and T'Pau turned their attention towards Admiral Barnett to discuss how to proceed now that the culprit had been caught and the rescue of Soval and the cadets was proceeding.

* * *

CRAAAACK!

"It's dark out," Jim commented as he suddenly saw the night sky and stars looming down on them.

A pile of dust suddenly showered down on the people who weren't buried in debris, "I kent tap on da vall any longer," Pavel said in a tired voice as he lowered his shaking arm and dropped the piece of debris on the growing pile. "My arm eez shaking madly. I hope zey find us soon; I am cold and sleepy."

"We all are, Pavel," Arianne replied as she checked Mitchell, who was now barely conscious. "Crap."

Lara nodded, "Crap is right, Ensign Pike," she said, gazing up at the sky. "When did that happen?"

"Just a minute ago," Arianne stated in an official voice as she saw that Lara was holding a hypospray in one hand. "Doctor Harriman, did you give Gary medication so he would be stable enough to move?"

Lara nodded and sighed, "Do you think there are enough people to form some sort of a human ladder?" Arianne asked as she gazed up at the open ceiling. "If there was some sort of a stretcher available that we could slide under Gary and tie him to, we could get him up to where he could get medical help."

"Chekov, Sulu, McCoy, Finnegan, and anyone else who can help Ensign Pike, go assemble near the wall," Lara stated in a commanding voice. "I think that your idea about a human ladder is very intriguing."

Arianne got up and hurried over to the wall, "Pavel, climb the human ladder and get them to send a stretcher down here," she said in a commanding voice as Finnegan, Hikaru, Pavel, Leonard, Marla, and three other cadets came over to the wall. "Tell them that there are many cadets still trapped."

"I don't know if you should be in this ladder, Arianne," Leonard said in a worried voice. "You don't have a lot of physical strength because of the health challenges you've faced since you've been here…"

Arianne's eyes suddenly widened, "Shut up NOW," she hissed in an infuriated voice. "How dare you…"

"Bones, don't leave," Jim moaned in a pained voice. "I'm scared that I'm gonna be left in here to die."

Arianne sighed and walked over to where Jim was laying, "Christine, join the ladder and get out of here," she said in a commanding voice. "I'll stay and make sure Jim doesn't move; you need to get out."

Looking rather frightened, Christine moved her hands and stepped aside so Arianne could come and stabilize Jim's neck, "Arianne, I didn't mean to imply that you were weak," Leonard said in a worried voice as Arianne knelt and stabilized Jim's neck. "I just don't want you overdoing it again so soon."

"You had better hurry," Arianne replied in a frosty tone. "Mitchell's fighting just to hang on."

Leonard sighed and got down on all fours, nodding to Hikaru to climb on his back. Once Hikaru was in place, Marla climbed on top of him and gestured to the three other cadets to take their places in the human ladder, which they quickly did. Finnegan then clilmbed up the ladder and touched the ceiling.

"Nyet, I do not vant to leave Keptin Pike's daughter in danger," Pavel said, suddenly realizing that Arianne was going to stay in the basement while he climbed out. "Keptin Pike vill murder me."

Arianne sighed, "Pavel, I order you to get out of here," she replied in a commanding voice. "I'll be fine."

Pavel sighed, muttered what sounded like a Russian swearword, and slowly climbed the human ladder to the very top, where he slowly hoisted himself out of the debris. Everyone in the ladder and throughout the basement could hear people talking to Pavel and Pavel responding in a calm manner.

A loud rumble could suddenly be heard, "Is that an earthquake?" Christine asked in a horrified voice.

Before anyone could answer, the ground began to tremble violently, sending the human ladder and loose ceiling debris to the floor. Arianne quickly covered Jim with her body, but fortunately, they weren't hit by any debris. Hikaru, Christine, Finnegan, Marla, and the three other cadets were all sprawled out across the flatter debris, but looked all right as far as Arianne saw. Leonard, however, was lying face down on the debris looking as if he were dead; he wasn't moving or breathing at all.

"Doctor McCoy?" Sulu asked as he slowly sat up and crawled over to Leonard. "He won't wake up."

There was a hushed silence and then Leonard let out a groan, "I was holding my breath," he said as he slowly sat up, revealing simple bruises and scratches on his face. "I'm fine; how's everyone else?"

There was a loud crash and a pile of debris in the corner suddenly crumbled, revealing two very shaken, but uninjured cadets whom Arianne recognized as Kevin Riley and Ben Finney, "ATTENTION, WE ARE NOW SENDING RESCUE PERSONNEL TO EVACUATE THOSE WHO ARE NOT TRAPPED!" a loud voice suddenly filtered down into the basement. "WE WILL EVACUATE THE CRITICALLY INJURED FIRST…"

"Doctor Harriman, you and Mitchell go first," Arianne said as stepladders suddenly were dropped into the basement and medics, who were loaded down with all kinds of emergency gear, came down.

The medics immediately travelled over to where Mitchell lay, "Strap him to a stretcher and let's get him back to Starfleet Medical," Lara ordered as the medics came over to them. "Hang on, Cadet Mitchell."

"Doctor McCoy and Cadet Kirk should be next," Arianne stated in a firm voice. "I'll wait down here."

As if to prove her point, Arianne moved over to where Soval lay as more medics came down into the destroyed basement, "The Vulcan High Council will want him protected," she said in a formal tone.

"I'll help," Jim said in a groggy voice as he slowly got up and moved over to where Arianne stood.

Leonard scoffed, "You infant, you could have a neck injury," he hissed. "You should lie down."

Before Jim could reply, Arianne suddenly winced and doubled over, "Stupid cramps," she muttered as she slowly sat down and hugged her knees. "Jim, can you go with Leonard when he goes up, please?"

"I'm not leaving you or any of the kids behind," Jim replied in a nervous voice. "He'll kill you all."

Arianne slowly straightened up and motioned to Jim to kneel down, which he did, "Jimmy, you need to go and make sure they know about the rest of us," she said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a hypospray that she had taken out of the med-kit earlier. "I'm gonna give you a little something that will help you focus on what you're supposed to do, okay? I put some stuff in it to make you brave."

Before Jim had a chance to react, Arianne quickly injected the hypospray into his neck, "What did you do that…" Jim mumbled as it quickly took effect and he slumped forward into her arms.

As the medics and Lara took Mitchell up the ladder, Leonard came over to where Arianne was holding Jim carefully against her, "Are you going to be okay?" Leonard asked as he knelt down beside her.

"I'll be fine," Arianne replied softly as she gently eased Jim off of her. "Take care of him up there."

Leonard nodded, "When Jim's safe at Starfleet Medical, I'm coming back for you," he promised.

"Not if there are others who need your help more," Arianne replied. "Focus on helping the injured."

Another set of medics came down with another stretcher and Leonard sighed, "You're so stubborn," he stated in a deeply concerned voice as he really meant 'take care of yourself.' "Medics, over here."

Arianne nodded as the medics came over to them, "Cadet Kirk sustained a concussion and I was forced to sedate him due to his altered status," she stated in an official voice. "Get him out of here right away."

"Arianne, can you come help me with trying to dig out other people?" Christine, who was quickly becoming emotionally overwhelmed with having to keep an eye on the many injured and try to dig out as many of her buried friends as possible, suddenly asked in an anxious voice. "I can hear them…"

Letting out a sigh, Arianne slowly got to her feet, "Wanimo aisha," she said in a quiet voice as she gazed at Leonard briefly before turning away and heading over to where Christine was.

* * *

Dust, frost, and falling snow were filling the open ruins by the time personnel from Starfleet Medical and Starfleet Engineering had evacuated all those who weren't buried in debris.

A lot of cadets trapped under the debris were still alive and awake only because Arianne had stayed in the basement with them and talked with them while others were escorted up and out.

As she sat on a pile of debris, hampered by the same temporary cramps that had hindered her since early that morning, Arianne was vaguely aware that someone was climbing down the ladder to come and tell her that It was time to leave; she didn't want to leave anyone behind.

Along with the many whop weren't buried, the medics had taken Soval and promised Arianne that they would look after him for both her sake and that of the Vulcan High Council.

"Daydreaming, Arianne?" a gentle, very familiar voice suddenly asked, causing Arianne to jump.

Arianne looked up and was surprised to see her father standing there in his gray uniform with a blanket tucked under his arm, "Captain Pike?" she asked in a tired voice. "What are you…?"

"You can call me 'Dad' right now, Arianne," Chris replied gently as he draped the blanket around her frost covered cadet uniform. "I'm assuming the endometriosis has progressed a lot?"

Arianne nodded and slowly got to her feet, "Yeah, but it's something that can wait til the New Year to be dealt with," she replied as her father helped her walk to the ladder. "I'm assuming that Engineering and every other able bodied officer are going to dig through the rubble now?"

"As soon as we're out," Chris replied. "Do you need help getting up the ladder at all, Arianne?"

Swallowing hard, Arianne gripped the ladder and silently hoisted herself up. As she climbed, she could hear her father behind her and was grateful that he was there in case she fell.

Flashing lights and loud chattering greeted Arianne as she climbed out of the basement and she was horrified to see a horde of reporters with cameras, recorders and video recorders pointed all at her and her father, "As I have already stated this evening, there will be a press conference scheduled for the middle of January to coincide with the hearing," Chris stated calmly as he climbed out and put an arm around Arianne. "In cooperation with the media ban that Admiral Archer has instituted in light of this crisis, I now ask for all of you to leave the campus."

Without waiting for any replies, Chris carefully and quickly escorted Arianne towards a golf cart-sized hovercar that was away from the reporters, "Let's go by Starfleet Medical," he said as he helped her into the car. "No doubt you could use some time to rest in a quiet place."

Trying to not show how worried she was about the people still trapped beneath the debris, Arianne was silent as her father got into the car, revved the engine, and drove off into the night.

* * *

_**Two Days Later **_

_**Starfleet Medical - Time: Unknown  
**_

A nasty hacking cough filled Arianne's ears as she suddenly came back to awareness and realized that she was laying on something soft with something soft covering her body.

"...Get that tricorder away from me!" an annoyed, very gruff voice suddenly snapped.

Arianne opened her eyes and realized that she was lying in an upright position; she could see a nervous looking Leonard huddled against the corner with Dr. Puri lingering close to him.

"Ensign Pike, glad to see you awake," Dr. Puri commented, seeing that she was awake.

Leonard nodded and again coughed so much that he nearly collapsed, "I-I never get sick," he gasped in an annoyed voice, flinching as Dr. Puri came closer. "The last time I got sick, it took me six weeks to fully get over it and I was only a teenager. It's so horribly warm in here…"

"Leonard, don't be stubborn," Arianne said in a commanding voice as she slowly got off the biobed and walked over to him, suddenly noticing that he was very pale, sweaty, and had dark circles underneath his eyes. She gently touched his arm and he didn't pull away from her.

Leonard coughed, "Even if I am sick, all the resources are used up," he protested weakly.

"Performing over 100 surgeries over the course of two days without taking any personal breaks is bound to make anyone sick, Doctor McCoy," Dr. Puri replied in a gentle voice as he held out his hand. "Take your jacket off and lie down on the bed. You'll feel more comfortable without it."

Leonard scowled, but removed his jacket with trembling hands, revealing a sweat-encrusted white shirt. He then lay down on the nearest biobed and dropped his jacket on the floor.

"Ensign Pike, would you please go get Doctor McCoy some proper pajamas while I conduct a thorough examination?" Dr. Puri asked in an official tone. "He'll probably be here for a while."

As Arianne nodded and left the room, she heard Leonard let out a very weak groan.

* * *

It didn't take Arianne long to find a clean pair of pajamas from a nearby storage locker, as the Housekeeping personnel, like everyone else at Starfleet Medical, had been working overtime without breaks since the explosion and had just barely been given mandatory time off to rest.

Being a counselor, she had caught a few hours of sleep after being brought to Starfleet Medical by her father and then had turned her attention to assisting with the many that needed help. She had been on her only break in the last two days when Leonard's cough had woken her up.

Doctors and other medically trained personnel, however, weren't lucky enough to get time off as they were needed to monitor the hundreds of patients who were recovering from the various surgeries that Phlox, Dr. Puri, Dr. Piper, and Leonard had performed over the last two days.

As she moved back towards the patient bay where Dr. Puri and Leonard were, Arianne saw a crowd of scared looking cadets, including Pavel and Hikaru, sitting in the waiting area with a very concerned Professor Guinan and Professor Khan talking to them. At the far end of the waiting area, she saw several members of the Vulcan High Council gathered in a huddle.

Everyone, even the Vulcans, looked as if they had been through a war and nobody looked ready to leave their respective groups anytime soon, Arianne observed. She was sure that various members of both Starfleet and Academy Command had tried to get people to leave the building and have downtime, but Arianne was very aware of how stubborn cadets could be.

A tear suddenly fell down Arianne's cheek and she turned away so nobody would see her crying and be even more unnerved than they already were; Soval had made it all the way to an operating table at Starfleet Medical before he had succumbed to his injuries and died.

Before he actually died, however, Soval had had a private audience with Admiral Archer and the Vulcan High Command so that his experiences and wishes could be carefully recorded for the hearing in January that would determine Elizabeth Dehner's fate for her serious crimes.

In the meantime, Arianne knew that she had to stay strong and be aware of everything at all times just in case someone wanted to talk. She had been a counselor for Starfleet for several years and knew that she had earned the respect of both her superiors and fellow cadets.

"Ensign Pike?" a nervous, yet very familiar voice suddenly asked, causing Arianne to stop.

Arianne turned and saw a nervous looking Kevin Riley standing there, "Cadet Riley, what can I do for you?" she asked in a very kind voice as she smiled at him. "You're looking tired."

"I was just wondering if JT made it," Riley replied softly. "I haven't seen him in two days and…"

Arianne nodded, "JT's fine and he's resting comfortably," she replied gently. "He made it, Kev."

Kevin nodded, let out a sigh of relief, and silently returned to the waiting room. Arianne watched as he joined the throng of cadets and talked to them. She then sighed and turned away, remembering that Leonard needed the pajamas so that he would feel more comfortable. Her job was to help all those in need, including Leonard.

* * *

When Arianne returned to the patient room where Leonard was, she was surprised to see him sitting up on the biobed facing a communications screen while Dr. Puri lingered near the door, silently watching him, "…Len, honey, you shouldn't try to come out to Georgia if you're sick," a Southern female was saying in a gentle voice. "You're best off listening to your doctor and staying in San Francisco; it took you nearly two months to get better last time, remember?"

A tear slid down Leonard's tired face as he nodded and coughed, "I'm just so exhausted and I hate that I can't stay awake to talk to you," he replied weakly. "I love you, Mama; I'm so sorry."

"Get some rest, Len," the Southern female voice replied gently. "I love you so much my baby."

Leonard nodded, switched off the viewscreen, and slowly lowered his head, "Leonard, I brought you some pajamas so you'd be more comfortable," Arianne said in a cautious voice as she approached the biobed and set the pajamas down beside him. "Was that your mother?"

"I'm so sick I can't even get off this bed, let alone take the train out to Georgia for Christmas in a couple of weeks," Leonard replied in a semi-aggravated voice. "I know I'm not gonna be fully better by Christmas and I really wanted to visit my mama at her country home this year."

Arianne nodded, wrapped her arms around him, and gently pulled him close to her, "Thank you," Leonard whispered as he allowed himself to be held. "I shouldn't cry about that…"

Leonard sighed and gently pulled away, "I shouldn't complain," he stated in a tired voice as he slowly picked up the pajamas. "A lot of people don't have a mama at all, so I'm really lucky."

"Leonard, you should do as your mother says and get some rest," Arianne said in a gentle voice, not wanting him to do anything that he might regret later. "I'll go check on Jim for you."

Before Leonard could reply, Arianne smiled at Dr. Puri and quickly left the room. She didn't want Leonard, who was obviously beginning to love her, to worry about her when he was really sick.

* * *

The silence was a comfort to Arianne as she made her way down the corridor past the filled patient rooms and came to a stop outside a room that had 'Kirk, James T' on a neon sign just to the right of the door with detailed care instructions on an electronic chart underneath it.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne waited as the door slid open and she entered the room, not at all surprised to see Jim in his hospital pajamas but out of bed, instead sitting in a visitor's chair with a bandage around his forehead and a PADD in the other. A nebulizer sat on a nearby tray.

"I heard Bones is sick," Jim commented as he looked up from his PADD. "Will he be okay?"

Arianne sighed, "He'll be fine with some rest," she replied softly. "How are you feeling, Jim?"

"I'm gonna be here for at least two more days because of my head injury and whatever I inhaled down there," Jim replied as he set the PADD on the tray and picked up the nebulizer. "Doctor Puri told me to use this when I feel sick, but all I want to do is visit Bones. Wanna you help me?"

Arianne smiled and shook her head, "Nope," she replied gently. "You need to have a rest too."

"Yeah, but I don't wanna go to bed," Jim whined, grinning. "Can you get me my pillow?"

Nodding, Arianne grabbed the pillow off the bed and carefully slipped it behind Jim's head, "Can you stay with me a while, Arianne?" he asked in a sleepy voice. "I really hate hospitals…"

"I know," Arianne replied softly as she accessed the computer next to where Jim was slowly falling asleep. "I'll stay with you a while and check my messages while you sleep, okay?"

A loud snore was the only reply Arianne got and, smiling, she quickly logged into the computer using her Academy ID and special passcode. Several unread emails immediately popped up.

The first 50 emails or so were cadets who had either been in the explosion or had heard of it and had lost friends and needed to make appointments for sessions after finals and Christmas holidays were over. Arianne made short work of them, scheduling the emails in alphabetical order and sending out quick replies with promises to speak with each of them in the New Year.

Once that was done, Arianne turned her attention to several emails sent to her by Starfleet Command, all of them asking for her report on what happened. There was also an email from the Vulcan High Council inviting her to Soval's burial ceremony on Vulcan in the New Year after Elizabeth Dehner's trial, which was going to be handled by a joint Starfleet-Vulcan judicial council with testimony from various cadets who were involved, including Leonard and Jim.

To her surprise, Professor Khan had sent out a mass email stating that in light of the situation and its aftermath, the training simulations would be postponed until further notice. Admiral Archer had also sent out a campus-wide email cancelling all final exams and offering every cadet on campus the chance to contact their families and begin their vacations early.

The last email was from Admiral Barnett; it commended everyone involved for their role in rescuing the many trapped, but the death toll had topped nearly 150 and a mass funeral service would also take place in the New Year once the families of all the deceased had been contacted. Until her hearing, Elizabeth Dehner would be held in Starfleet custody.

Arianne sighed and gazed at Jim, who was now sleeping peacefully; they and the many that had gotten out were certainly fortunate to have survived such a terrible act caused by one who was so full of hatred.

* * *

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	25. January 2257: Past and Present Memories

_**January 2257**_

The Academy campus was quiet, Arianne thought as she emerged from the dorms after catching a much needed nap in her bed. Much of the Academy personnel weren't back from the mandatory leave that Admiral Archer had imposed on the entire campus after the last of the Cadet Centre had been cleared away and the last of the bodies had been taken for autopsies. Many students were also still gone.

Christmas had been much too quiet, as most cadets had booked any available transportation to go spend time with their families to recover from the massive casualties from the explosion. Even her own father had been busy at Christmas, Arianne thought silently; he had been in constant meetings with Starfleet Command and with the Vulcan High Council about Elizabeth Dehner's upcoming trial.

Arianne was surprised to see that the many campus pathways were perfectly shoveled despite the amount of snow that still covered the grass and the rooftops of some buildings. Her eyes suddenly widened as she looked at the spot where the Cadet Center had once been; there were several small, wooden crosses tied together with what looked like shoelaces embedded in the dirt and small, silver things that looked to Arianne like dogtags hung around each of the crosses like identification chips.

Swallowing hard, she walked over to the crosses to get a better look at them and noticed a small engraving on the bottom of them 'made by JTK', "A-Arianne," a nervous voice suddenly spoke.

Arianne turned and saw Jim standing behind her in only his cadet uniform; he looked rather nervous as he held a freshly sanded, tied together cross in his hand that had 'Ambassador Soval' engraved on the cross bar on either side of the point where the two posts were tied together by dirty shoelaces.

"How on earth did you make these, Jim?" Arianne asked in a shocked voice. "They're so beautiful."

Jim shrugged, "There was a lot of the debris from the Cadet Center put in the San Francisco dump and I just collected it," he replied as he walked forward and carefully put Soval's cross into the frigid soil.

For a moment, Arianne watched as Jim stood there in silence, "I gave a letter to Madame Guinan a while back to give to my mother if they ever crossed paths," Jim said in a toneless voice. "While I was recuperating at Starfleet Medical, Madame Guinan came to visit me and explained that she ran into Winona in Iowa, but that it didn't go well. I spent Christmas in my dorm doing extra credit work while Bones drank about a gallon of tea and slept the day away because he still wasn't feeling too good."

"You could have commed me and I would have come over," Arianne replied gently. "My father was busy with meetings all day, so I spent Christmas at Starfleet Medical writing out my version of events…"

Jim sighed, "I can't believe that they want the preliminary hearing this afternoon," he replied tiredly.

"Well, the Vulcans did lose an important member of their society," Arianne commented in a gentle voice even though she had always been rather uncomfortable around Soval. "They want to talk to Elizabeth."

There was suddenly a loud bong, "Cadet Kirk and Ensign Pike, please report to the Assembly Hall," an official voice sounded out over the rarely used intercom. "Cadet Kirk and Ensign Pike…."

"We should go," Arianne said softly. "I think the preliminary hearing's gonna be in the Assembly Hall."

Jim nodded and stepped back out of the crosses, "Admiral Archer's probably gonna give me heck for covering this ground with crosses," he replied in a hollow voice. "Maybe I should ask if I can skip the dressing down and go straight to therapy. You're a great person to talk to, really, but I just need…"

"It's okay, Jim," Arianne replied as they walked along the path towards the Assembly Hall. "I haven't been your friend for your whole life and there are things that I don't know much about. It's fine."

Jim gave Arianne a look of relief as they reached the steps that led up to the Assembly Hall, "I know this may seem like an odd question, but have you talked to anyone about that night?" he asked softly.

"It's been a very busy few weeks," Arianne replied, not wanting to tell Jim that she was still very nervous about Elizabeth Dehner somehow escaping charges and seeking retaliation against her. "I'm a registered counselor with Starfleet Medical, so I've been counseling loved ones of the dead and survivors…"

Arianne sighed and began walking up the steps, "Do you still have nightmares about it?" Jim asked softly, well aware that Arianne was trying to tell him that she was afraid of any retaliation against her.

"A few sleepless nights," Arianne replied as she stopped and looked at him. "No nightmares lately."

Jim nodded and looked slightly mollified as they reached the entrance to the Assembly Hall.

* * *

Arianne smiled at him as they walked through the doors and were surprised to see several people on the ground floor of the Hall, all of them dressed in official uniforms.

A nervous looking young man in an Academy uniform was lingering at the top of the stairs and stood at attention as Jim and Arianne approached.

"Please proceed to the ground level immediately, you two," the young man said in an official tone.

Jim suddenly looked nervous, but Arianne gently patted his hand, "It'll be all right," she said in a soothing voice as they slowly walked down the steps together. "Nothing bad will happen to us."

"Welcome to the Assembly Hall, Cadet Kirk and Ensign Pike," Admiral Barnett said as Jim and Arianne reached the ground level of the Hall and came to stand in front of the table where all the people in uniforms were seated. "We are here to discuss the events that occurred in December of 2256."

Arianne nodded, but before she could reply, the far door suddenly slid open and Sarek, Amanda, Spock, and several other Vulcan elders filed into the Assembly Hall and joined the others at the table.

"We first welcome the Vulcan elders to this ceremony," Admiral Barnett said as he got to his feet and turned towards the door. "We now welcome those who were involved in the Cadet Center rescue."

The door slid open again and Admiral Archer walked into the Assembly Hall with Leonard, Christine, Pavel, Hikaru, Finnegan, and Lara Harriman, "If all of you would please stand in a line in front of the table, we'll get right to business," Admiral Barnett stated in a firm voice. "We are just waiting for…"

"My apologies for my tardiness," Serij said, his Instructor suit wrinkling as he suddenly rushed into the Assembly Hall with his arms full of small blue folders. "Professor Khan is unfortunately ill today…"

Admiral Archer nodded and took the folders from Serij, "We'll have to do this without him then," he said in a tone that told Serij that his service was appreciated. "Ensign Arianne Pike, please step forward."

"Yes sir," Arianne replied as she stepped forward and watched Admiral Archer walk over to the table.

Admiral Archer nodded at Captain Pike, who quickly stood up and walked around the table, "Arianne Christine Pike, it is by the authority of Starfleet Command and Academy Command that I address your actions in the recent situation," Chris said as he took the top folder off the pile Serij held. "In light of the circumstances and your actions, I feel that there is no other recourse than to promote you to the rank of Lieutenant junior grade with all the rights and privileges associated with the rank. Congratulations."

"Thank you," Arianne replied, unable to ignore her father's look of pride as he pinned the pips on her collar, gently patted her shoulder, and stepped back to stand next to Serij. "Thank you, Command."

Admiral Archer nodded and picked up the next folder, but before he could speak, Arianne's PADD went off in her pocket, "My apologies," Arianne said as she took the PADD out and looked at it. "I am needed urgently at Starfleet Medical to counsel a patient. I respectfully request permission to be dismissed."

"Granted, Lieutenant Pike," Admiral Archer replied, forcing himself to maintain a neutral expression.

Arianne smiled, saluted, and quietly walked up the stairs towards the exit with her new rank and responsibilities weighing heavily on her with each step she took. She was unaware that Serij was silently watching her while pretending to focus on helping the instructors hand out the other commendations and promotions.

* * *

The office was quiet and unusually dark when Arianne entered, "Hello?" she asked in a soft voice.

"Hello Lieutenant Pike," a faint, yet very familiar voice spoke in the darkness. "I am in need of counseling."

Immediately recognizing the voice as Professor Khan's, Arianne turned the lights on the lowest level and was shocked to see Professor Khan sitting cross legged in the middle of the room with nothing but a fraying red sweatsuit on and small slippers over his feet. He was slouching and covering his face.

"Professor Khan, I am just a Starfleet Lieutenant," Arianne replied nervously. "How can I be of help to you?"

Professor Khan looked up at Arianne, "My dear, you are also a certified psychological counselor," he replied in a smooth voice as he got to his feet. "I am in need of a listening ear and I trust nobody else."

"All right," Arianne replied nervously as she sat in one of the padded chairs in the middle of the room and gestured to the other one across from her. "Make yourself comfortable, Professor Khan."

Professor Khan nodded and slowly sank into the empty chair, "Thank you," he replied in a faint voice.

"You mentioned that you were in need of a listening ear, sir?" Arianne asked in a curious voice.

Professor Khan sighed, "That recent accident on campus has forced me to remember my past," he replied in a smooth, yet very somber voice. "Before I came to the Academy, I was a psychotherapist in the Orient and I had a very successful therapy practice that I developed myself after getting a doctorate in counseling and mental health. One day in 2255, though, changed my outlook on counseling."

"I remember reading about your practice during my study periods in university," Arianne replied in an intrigued voice. "What happened that caused you to leave such a successful practice, Professor?"

There was a moment of silence and Professor Khan took a deep breath, "I trust that this will not go past this room, so I will explain," he replied softly. "In 2255, I had a patient come into my office by the name of Jocelyn Darnell and she said that she had recently divorced a young doctor named Leonard McCoy."

_Professor Khan knew Leonard's ex-wife? _Arianne thought silently. _I wonder if I should keep listening._

"This Jocelyn was very depressed and wanted help," Professor Khan continued, not noticing Arianne's sudden change in posture. "I started her in an experimental, in-patient therapy program that I thought would help her be able to address her issues in a healthy fashion. I, however, was proven wrong and she ended up insane, stole a cargo shuttle, and flew off into space with the intent of killing herself."

Arianne suddenly felt chilled; she had never thought to ask Leonard if his ex-wife was still alive, but it wasn't any of her business, "I received a notice later on that Jocelyn's stolen shuttle had exploded at the edge of the Solar System with nothing but pieces of debris remaining. Starfleet was never told of this."

"I-I'm not sure of what help I can be," Arianne replied, doing her best to keep a professional tone.

Professor Khan sighed and merely shrugged at Arianne's reply, "After I got word of Jocelyn's death, I shut my practice down and fled the Orient," he replied somberly. "It was that and another very painful incident in Russia that brought me to San Francisco. I was fine until the Cadet Center was damaged…"

"The chaos brought back those memories, didn't it?" Arianne asked, suddenly feeling sympathetic.

Nodding, Professor Khan swallowed hard, "I cannot possibly think of beginning the semester without some serious help," he replied in a soft voice as he clasped his hands together. "I think some more counseling sessions and even a little time in the hospital will help get me through this difficult time."

"I can only recommend hospitalization for clients if they are either thinking of hurting themselves or are in the process of self-harm," Arianne explained in a somber voice. "Have you done either, sir?"

Swallowing hard, Professor Khan shook his head, "I have considered it," he replied softly. "Help me."

Nodding, Arianne pulled her stylus out of her pocket, "Would you like me to notify Doctor Harriman or Doctor Puri of your illness?" she asked in a gentle voice. "Either one can get you properly admitted."

"I would prefer Doctor Harriman," Professor Khan replied softly. "She…she understands my condition."

Arianne nodded, made some notes on her stylus, and stuffed it back in her pocket, "Just so you know, Professor Khan, what we discuss here will never leave this office," she replied softly. "If you'd like, I can also counsel you during your hospital stay and I can also get someone to cover your class for you."

"Serij will cover my class," Professor Khan replied softly. "I just want to feel better very soon."

Letting out a sigh, Arianne stood up and walked over to Professor Khan, "Is there anyone you want me to call and let them know that you're sick?" she asked in a compassionate voice. "The hospital stay might be a little easier on you if you maybe had a family member or friend to support you."

"I will be all right," Professor Khan replied as he bowed his head. "Thank you for your concern."

As Arianne nodded, the door suddenly slid open and a medic came into the room holding a med-kit, "Doctor Harriman is on her way and she asked me to get some vitals and information," he said softly.

"Leave the medical tools and _get out,"_ Professor Khan hissed in a distressed voice. "I will help myself."

The medic suddenly looked frightened, "Perhaps I had better contact Doctor McCoy," he said anxiously as he dropped the medkit on on the floor and backed away. He's supposed to be on call this afternoon."

At the mention of Leonard, Professor Khan's eyes went wide and he swallowed hard, "Please do not call Doctor McCoy," he said in a terse voice as he placed a hand on his chest. "I just am in need of rest."

Sputtering for a response, the medic quickly fled the office, "I am having difficulty breathing," Professor Khan whispered faintly. "Could you perhaps help me walk to Medical? I cannot wait for a doctor."

"Of course," Arianne replied, carefully extending her hand. "Can you stand up on your own?"

Professor Khan nodded, slowly got to his feet, and carefully took Arianne's hand, "I must compose letters of apologies for my sudden illness to those who hired me to teach," he said in an unsteady voice as Arianne helped him walk out of the office and down the hallway towards the Medical Area.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Arianne found herself in her dorm room trying to relax and focus her mind on what she would need to accomplish during the upcoming semester. After walking Professor Khan to the Medical Area, she had turned him over to Lara and then quietly dismissed herself from the situation until her presence was again requested; she had made it a habit of waiting until she was called upon.

Arianne let out a sigh as she lay on her bed and groaned as the door suddenly slid open, "Arianne, are you in here?" she heard Christine's cheerful voice ask. "The ceremony was awesome and Admiral Archer's inviting everyone who got an award to a party at his house and Leonard asked about you…"

_Leonard. _Arianne thought, suddenly remembering the terrible secret that Professor Khan had divulged to her about Leonard's ex-wife. How on earth could she even look Leonard McCoy in the eye after hearing such a terrible secret involving his past and not tell him? She couldn't go to the party.

"Actually, I'm thinking of going shopping in San Francisco," Arianne lied as she sat up just in time to see Christine putting on makeup in front of the mirror they shared. "I'll be back by curfew tonight."

Christine nodded absentmindedly, "All right," she replied. "The party will probably go til really late."

"Have fun," Arianne said as she stood up and grabbed her purse off the bed. "I'll be back later."

Before Christine, who was concerned by Arianne's subdued mood, could reply, Arianne left the room and quickly left Boyce Hall. She immediately saw Finnegan and Riley walking on either side of Mitchell, who was sitting in a hoverchair and wearing loose civilian clothes and boots. Arianne swallowed hard, quickly turned away, and walked off down a path that served as a shortcut to a civilian bus stop.

"Ensign Pike?" Arianne suddenly heard a soft voice say as she hurried down the path. "Are you well?"

Arianne froze, but relaxed when Spock came out from behind a tree with a basketful of different plant life on his arm, "Actually, Commander Spock, it's Lieutenant Pike now," she replied nervously.

"Indeed," Spock replied in a toneless voice. "Is the sudden promotion the cause of your distress?"

Arianne shook her head, "No, it's just a little stress that comes with being a counselor," she replied, not wanting to divulge to Spock and break confidentiality. "I'm actually going for a long walk around San Francisco for a little while to clear my head and maybe indulge in a little bit of long overdue shopping."

"I do not think it is logical to waste currency to ease your troubles," Spock replied tonelessly even though he had a look of compassion in his eyes. "Perhaps instead of shopping, you would like to accompany my mother and I on a tour of a marine life habitat center that is not far from here?"

Arianne sighed, "I just have this need to be alone," she replied somberly. "I'm so sorry, Spock."

Before Spock, who couldn't help but be deeply concerned about Arianne's sudden need to be alone with her less than happy mood, could reply, Arianne hurried off down the path towards the civilian bus stop.

As Spock was contemplating how to handle Arianne's unusual reaction, he suddenly heard a beep and quickly took out his communicator, "Commander Spock here," he whispered. "What is the issue?"

"Elizabeth Dehner is pacing her Brig cell demanding to talk to someone about the preliminary hearing," Captain Pike's voice replied in a very distressed tone. "I think she's trying to refuse to participate in it."

Spock sighed patiently, "Lieutenant Pike must have forgotten about the hearing, Captain," he replied, remembering that Arianne had mentioned going off campus. "She just went off of campus for a time."

There was some murmuring on the other end, "Spock, please just come and talk to Miss Dehner," Captain Pike's voice repeated in a more commanding voice. "I will deal with Lieutenant Pike."

"I am proceeding to Starfleet Security immediately," Spock replied, setting off at a brisk pace.

* * *

"…Arianne's not stupid, Jon," Elizabeth heard as she paced back and forth in the Starfleet Security cell that she had been residing in ever since her arrest in December. "Perhaps she had a lot on her mind."

There was a heavy laugh, "Everyone's had a lot on their minds since December, Chris," Elizabeth heard Admiral Archer snap irritably. "Get a shuttle and go find your wayward daughter right now!"

"Jon, perhaps today isn't a good day to hold such a hearing," Chris replied. "The special ceremony put all those students in a good mood and maybe we should postpone the hearing until after term stars. Better yet, I think we should just charge Elizabeth with mass murder and turn her over to Vulcan authorities…"

Elizabeth paled considerably at hearing that; she didn't want to go to Vulcan and end up serving on some penal colony just because she killed some senile Vulcan after he tried to resist her plan.

"…Go home and host your party, Jon," Elizabeth suddenly heard Chris say. "I'll stay here for a bit."

There was grumbling and Elizabeth was quiet as the door to the Brig slid open. She was very surprised, however, to see Chris followed into the room by a sharp looking Commander Spock.

"Miss Dehner, I have been informed of your unwillingness to contribute information at today's preliminary hearing," Spock stated as he stood before the forcefield with his hands behind his back.

Elizabeth sniffed, "That's right, I don't want to talk," she replied snobbishly. "I know what I did and my only regret is that Arianne didn't end up dying in the mess with everyone else; I hate her so much."

"May I ask a simple question of you, Miss Dehner?" Chris asked softly. "Why do you hate Arianne?"

Elizabeth snarled, "Simple," she replied crossly. "Arianne got Leonard McCoy to fall in love with her."

Chris suddenly looked as if Porthos had unexpectedly peed on his leg during one of Jon's many poker nights that were held for Academy staff, "You killed hundreds of innocent people and destroyed a building with a basic explosive all because you were rejected by a man? How immature are you?"

"Captain Pike," Spock interjected softly. "It is unproductive to verbalize frustration at Miss Dehner now."

Chris sighed and nodded, "I will be speaking to Starfleet Command and the Vulcan High Council about expediting your hearing, Miss Dehner," he replied in a more composed tone. "Goodbye for now."

Giving Elizabeth a death glare, Chris stormed out of the room with Spock at his heels, "Can you believe that nonsense?" she sniffed, gazing at the guard who barely spoke to her. "This is not justice at all."

* * *

Admiral Archer's house was large and well decorated, but Leonard took no notice of it and had instead replicated himself a cup of cocoa and had settled himself in a living room chair with a study PADD.

"Doctor McCoy, I am surprised at you," Jonathan said as he suddenly materialized on the transporter pad in his living room and saw Leonard reading instead of socializing. "Why aren't you mingling?"

Leonard shrugged, "Jim's not here and neither is Arianne," he replied, not taking his eyes off the PADD.

"I believe there are others here you can mingle with," Jonathan replied. "I hear talking in the kitchen."

Letting out a deep sigh, Leonard pocketed the PADD and picked up the cup, "I saw Finnegan, Sulu, Chekov, and Christine, but I'm not really friends with any of them," he stated, sighing again as he took a sip of the tea. "Besides, I'm not much of a party person; I used to get very, very drunk at parties…"

"Ah," Jonathan replied, suddenly understanding Leonard's behavior. "Have you talked with Doctor Piper about your feelings concerning parties where you're by yourself? Maybe he can help you with that."

Before Leonard could reply, the front door slid open and Lara Harriman, who hadn't bothered changing out of her medical uniform, came into the house, "I apologize for being late, but Professor Khan suddenly became ill and has to be in hospital for a few days. He sends his regrets at not being able to attend and discuss the upcoming training cruise like he promised to, but he'll be fine…"

"I'll call him later and see how he's feeling," Jonathan replied. "Most of the guests are in the kitchen."

Lara nodded and frowned when she saw Leonard sitting in the living room, "Doctor McCoy, are you all right?" she asked softly as she walked over to where he was sitting. "You're part of this party too."

"I'll wait until Jim and Arianne come to be a part of the party," Leonard replied, taking a sip of tea.

Jonathan sighed, "I believe Arianne went off campus for some personal time and I'm not sure where Jim went," he replied in a semi-irritated voice. "I don't have the energy to keep tabs on your friends."

Leonard sighed, "Maybe I'll go back to my dorm and do some reading," he replied, quickly standing up.

Jonathan suddenly looked concerned at that comment, "You're still officially on winter vacation, McCoy," he replied in a stern voice. "Winter vacation is a time for relaxing and socializing."

"I'm not good at either," Leonard replied as he set the cup on the coffee table. "Please excuse me."

Jonathan's eyes widened as Leonard silently left the house, "I'm sure he just needs space," Lara said in a reassuring voice as she smiled at Jonathan. "Now, why don't we go in the kitchen and enjoy the party?"

"You're right," Jonathan replied in a calm voice. "This is a time of celebrating bravery. Shall we?"

* * *

_**Golden Gate Park**_

The park was quiet and for that, Arianne was grateful. She had a lot on her mind and wasn't sure how to handle the information; how could she tell Leonard about it and how could she keep it confidential?

"Hey," a tired voice suddenly spoke, pulling Arianne from her thoughts. "Are you okay, Arianne?"

Arianne looked around and frowned when she saw Jim sitting up on a tree branch in his cadet reds with a bag over one shoulder, "Jim, what are you doing up in a tree?" she asked. "Why are you off campus?"

"I got a promotion to Ensign today," Jim replied tonelessly. "I went by my dorm and tried to contact Winona in Iowa to tell her, but the number had been disconnected. I then tried calling Sam's last known number and the number's also been disconnected; my family obviously doesn't give a crap about me."

Arianne sighed, "Did you at least tell Professor Guinan?" she asked softly. "I know she'd care."

"Professor Guinan's off on holiday," Jim replied tonelessly. "She left me an address, though."

Arianne nodded, "If it matters at all, Jim, I'm proud of you," she replied gently. "Wanna come down?"

"Of course it matters that you're proud of me," Jim replied as he jumped down from the tree. "It means a lot to me, actually. Bones was there when I was promoted, so I don't need to tell him about it again."

The mention of Leonard caused Arianne to let out a distressed sigh, "Jim, I'm not sure if I can handle being in a relationship right now," she explained softly, not looking at him. "Romance is hard for me."

"I thought Bones didn't care about your disabilities," Jim replied worriedly. "They aren't bad things."

Arianne sighed, "It's just been a long day," she said tiredly. "Why don't we go get some food?"

Before Jim could reply, Chris came walking over to them from a hovercab that he had gotten from the Academy, "I thought I'd find you both here," he said in a cheerful voice. "You always did like parks."

"I'm not in the best mood today, Captain Pike," Jim replied tonelessly as he gazed up at the tree.

Chris nodded and sighed patiently, "Admiral Archer's furious at both of you because he thinks you forgot about the preliminary hearing today," he explained gently. "I reassured him that…."

"I made crosses, I grieved, but I'm not testifying to anything," Jim interrupted. "I don't want to."

Again, Chris nodded, "You and Arianne may not have to," he replied. "However, I'll explain that later."

"Jim and I were just about to go to lunch somewhere, Dad," Arianne spoke up. "We're both hungry…"

There was a brief moment of silence and Arianne sighed, "Actually Dad, why don't you take Jim to lunch and I'll meet up with both of you later?" she asked, suddenly feeling uneasy. "I'd like to be alone."

Jim gave her a worried look, but Arianne stood firm and was relieved when her father gently placed a hand on Jim's shoulder, "Come on, Jim," Chris said in a gentle voice. "You need some fattening up."

"I do not," Jim replied softly, even though he was set to go with Chris. "Arianne, text me later, okay?"

Arianne nodded and was silent as Jim and her father walked to the cab, got inside, and took off.

"Lucas, what do you want?" Arianne asked as she turned towards the tree where Jim had sat only a few minutes earlier. "I know you wanted to talk to me alone; that's why I sent Jim off with my father."

Lucas Reed, who wasn't happy that Arianne had sent Jim off with Chris Pike, stepped out from behind the tree holding a phaser rifle, "Thanks to you and Kirk, the base at Alameda was closed," he replied in an annoyed voice as he powered up the phaser rifle. "I've been in hiding for the last little while and I've only come out because you got one of my old friends, Elizabeth Dehner, into legal trouble…"

"Elizabeth blew up the Cadet Center and killed a Vulcan," Arianne replied in an anxious voice, quickly realizing that the phaser rifle was set on high. "She was caught by an Academy staff member…"

Lucas scoffed and continued to aim the rifle at her, "All Vulcans are protected by diplomatic policies, so they would not serve as a good example to the rest of Starfleet as to why Section 31 should not be messed with," he hissed angrily. "Kirk thought he killed me, but I escaped with very minor injuries."

"What do you think you are doing with that weapon?" Spock, who had been leading his mother across the campus to acquire civilian transportation to the aquarium, asked as he approached the scene from behind Arianne, making sure that his mother was behind him. "Are you attempting an assassination?"

Lucas suddenly looked angrier, "Why yes, Professor Spock, I am," he replied. "I am going to kill her."

The next few minutes happened very fast; Spock charged at Lucas and Lucas fired off a shot at Arianne right before Spock knocked him to the ground. The shot grazed Arianne's chest only because she blocked Amanda and Arianne fell to the ground in shock about being shot. Spock grabbed the rifle and quickly pointed it at Lucas, who immediately raised his hands behind his heat in a show of defeat.

"You're bleeding," Amanda gasped anxiously as she knelt down to Arianne and saw blood pooling in the small phaser hole on Arianne's uniform jacket. "Spock, call for a medical shuttle right now!"

Spock grabbed Lucas by his wrists and held him tight, "My hands are unavailable at the moment, Mother," he said in a dark, almost infuriated voice. "Use Lieutenant Pike's communicator."

"Lady Amanda, please, I'm all right," Arianne weakly protested even though she was in great pain.

Amanda shook her head and grabbed Arianne's communicator out of her pocket, "You're not all right and even I can see that, Arianne," she replied as she clicked the communicator. "Starfleet Medical?"

As Amanda talked, Arianne suddenly felt the pain in her chest overwhelming her and she closed her eyes to block out the pain, "I hope Arianne dies quickly," she heard Lucas say as her world faded to black.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical**_

Feeling better since Dr. Harriman had given him a room, pajamas, and IV medication to relieve his sudden illness, Professor Khan managed a small smile as Serij quietly entered his hospital room.

"How was the ceremony?" Professor Khan asked in a soft voice. "Is the Admirality upset with me?"

Serij shook his head as he neared Professor Khan's bedside, "They hope you will be healthy again soon," he replied as he sat on the visitor's stool. "I saw Doctor McCoy on my way in, but he ignored me."

"Doctor McCoy?" Professor Khan asked worriedly. "Did…did he notice that I was a patient…?"

Serij nodded, "He knows, but I believe Doctor McCoy is in what humans would call a bad mood," he replied in as toneless a voice as he could manage. "I do not understand why he would be in a bad mood after receiving a commendation and a promotion to the rank of Ensign for his heroics in December."

Professor Khan sighed and reached for the stylus that had been put on the bedside table, "Perhaps I will put together a letter and send it to the good doctor," he said in a tired voice. "Oh, I am very tired."

"Professor, perhaps you should rest for a time before you attempt to engage in any work?" Serij suggested, knowing that he didn't have the authority to order Professor Khan to get some rest.

The door suddenly slid open and Leonard poked his head in, "Hello Professor Khan," Leonard said in a respectful voice as he stood at attention. "I'm just doing rounds and I'm wondering how you are?"

"I am very tired," Professor Khan replied softly. "Unfortunately, I also have a lot of work to do."

Leonard nodded and immediately scowled, "I know I'm not your doctor, Professor, but maybe you ought to put that stylus away and get some sleep," he said in a firm voice. "Sleep helps the body recover."

"Perhaps you are right," Professor Khan replied as he set the stylus back on the table. "You seem like a very intelligent young man and I cannot help but wonder why you chose to come to Starfleet?"

Leonard shrugged, "It seemed like a good fit," he replied softly. "Please get some rest now."

Suddenly, loud alarms could be heard echoing throughout the facility, "Doctor McCoy to Trauma Room One," a voice over the intercom suddenly spoke. "Doctor McCoy to Trauma Room One immediately…"

As Leonard ran off down the hall, Professor Khan looked at Serij, "Follow him," he replied, his deep instincts telling him that something wasn't right. "Find out what is happening and then come back."

Serij nodded and quickly left the room. Professor Khan sighed and lay back on his pillow to relax.

* * *

Leonard hurried into the trauma room and was immediately shocked to see Arianne lying on an upright gurney with oxygen tubes in her nose and exhaustion in her eyes. He frowned when he saw that her cadet shirt was cut open down the middle and a large bloodstained dressing was covering a spot on her chest in the middle of the scars where her breasts used to be before she lost them to cancer.

"What happened?" Leonard asked in a concerned voice as he snapped a pair of rubber gloves on his hands so that he could examine the injury without causing any possible infection to Arianne.

Before Arianne could reply, Amanda came over to the gurney, "She was shot by a young man near the edge of the Academy campus," Amanda explained in a soft voice. "My son apprehended the young man and is over at Starfleet Security right now, but I am going to stay right here with Lieutenant Pike."

"Right, well you can wait over by the door," Leonard replied as he peeled the dressing off and examined the injury with his gloved hands. "It looks a lot worse than it is; the scar tissue was just punctured."

Arianne nodded and sighed, "Just patch me up so I can get out of here," she replied softly, deeply relieved that she had convinced her father to take Jim to lunch so neither of them ended up suffering an injury because Lucas Reed had clearly gone insane. "It's been a very long and very hard day already."

"Whatever you say, Lieutenant Pike," Leonard replied gently. "Congratulations, by the way."

Amanda smiled at Arianne as Leonard gathered the supplies to treat the wound, "Are you sure you don't want me to contact your father?" Amanda asked in a worried voice. "He has the right to know…"

"No, I'll let him know later," Arianne replied softly as Leonard began to clean the wound with several dressings that were soaked with antiseptic wash. "So, how did it go for you at the ceremony today?"

Leonard sighed, "I was promoted to Ensign and given a commendation," he replied softly as he finished cleaning all the blood away from the wound, leaving small holes in the scar tissue. "It doesn't look too bad, actually. I'll put some cream on the wounds and bandage them up. You'll be just fine, Arianne."

"It was a lunatic from Section 31 who shot me," Arianne explained softly. "He was Elizabeth's friend."

The mention of Elizabeth caused Leonard to cringe, but he said nothing about her as he put some cream over the wounds and covered them with tiny bandages, "I think the shock more than the injury caused me a lot of pain," Arianne spoke softly. "Could I possibly get a clean shirt? My uniform shirt is ruined."

Leonard nodded and swiftly removed his medical shirt, leaving him only with a black undershirt, "It might be a little big on you, but it's better than nothing," he said gently. "You're free to go."

Arianne nodded and Leonard swiftly left the room to give her privacy, "Let me help you," Amanda said as she came back over to the bed and helped Arianne get the old shirt off and put Leonard's shirt on.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment and then Amanda smiled, "Leonard McCoy seems like quite a gentleman," she commented, seeing that Leonard was lingering out in the hall with his back to them.

"He is," Arianne replied softly, suddenly feeling nothing but love for Leonard. "I'm very scared of that."

Amanda sighed, "Arianne, if you care for Leonard so deeply, why don't you tell him?" she asked in a motherly tone as she gazed at the young woman whom she considered a daughter. "I could…"

"Lady Amanda, I'm very different than what Leonard needs in a woman," Arianne replied softly, unaware that Leonard had come back into the room. "He needs someone whole and normal…"

Leonard cleared his throat, "I already had that and it was taken," he replied softly as he approached her.

"I think you two need some time alone," Amanda cut in as she moved towards the door. "Excuse me."

As Amanda left the room, Leonard and Arianne stared at each other; both were unsure of what to say.

* * *

"…Section 31," Professor Khan breathed in an anxious voice as he lay helpless in his hospital bed, processing everything that Serij had overheard and told him. "Lucas Reed is behind the shooting."

Serij remained silent as Professor Khan picked up his stylus and made some notes, "I will arrange for Lucas Reed to be dealt with later, but I must now prepare things for the training cruise that will be taking place next month," Professor Khan explained tiredly. "I would like you to arrange for…"

Professor Khan suddenly broke out into an anxious coughing fit and within seconds, Leonard hurried into the room having just promised Arianne a quiet dinner later that evening, "I heard the alarm go off for your room, Professor," Leonard explained as he hurried over to the bed. "Have you rested yet?"

"Serij, would you leave us?" Professor Khan, who had decided to tell Leonard the truth about Jocelyn before the mere guilt of it made him feel any worse than he did. "I need to talk to Doctor McCoy."

Serij nodded and silently left the room, "Sit down, Doctor McCoy," Professor Khan said in a soft, almost anxious voice as he gazed up at the doctor. "I have some rather disturbing things to tell you."

Frowning, as he was wondering if Professor Khan had lost his mind, Leonard quietly sat on the stool.

* * *

A vibrating sound prompted Arianne to look up from the PADD she was reading and she immediately saw that the chronometer above the door read 1800; the vibrating sounded again and Arianne picked up her personal PADD. She found that Leonard had sent her a message and she clicked on it.

_Arianne, I won't be able to make dinner tonight. Professor Khan and I had a long talk today and I just need some time to myself to process things. I kicked Jim out of the dorm so I could have quiet…_

Bzzz.

"Come in, Jim," Arianne spoke, relieved that she was alone because Christine had gone off campus to resume her vacation after the awards ceremony. The door slid open and Jim walked into the dorm.

Arianne smiled and sat up, "Bones kicked me out because he wanted a quiet evening," Jim explained as he took a seat at the table and looked at her. "I'm gonna stay with Mitchell tonight if Bones isn't done using the dorm for his own private think tank by midnight or maybe I'll go sleep on the grass…"

"Jim, let's have some dinner," Arianne replied as she got to her feet. "I'm super hungry since I missed having lunch with you and my dad today."

Jim sighed, "I knew Lucas was behind that tree," he replied as Arianne walked over to the dorm replicator. "Thank you for protecting me."

"You're welcome," Arianne replied softly as she stood at the replicator. "Two baskets of chicken fingers; these things only make snacks."

As the items materialized, Arianne winced, "Hey, you okay?" Jim asked as he hurried over to Arianne. "Why don't you sit down?"

"Lucas shot me," Arianne replied softly as she sat at the dorm table and Jim gathered the food. "Because Elizabeth was his friend…"

Jim nodded and set the baskets down on the table, "This is why I will always consider you, Bones, and Chris family more than Sam and Winona," he replied as he sat down across from her. "You got me to safety even though you knew you'd get hurt. Thank you for caring about me."

Arianne nodded and gently patted Jim's hand, "You're welcome," she replied as she picked up a chicken strip and ate it. "It's not hard to care about you and others who make my life feel complete."


	26. February 2257: The Art of Control

_**February 2257**_

_**Vulcan Medical Institute - Shi'Kahr, Vulcan**_

T'Pol sat on the edge of the bed where Lorian, who was suffering from an influenza-like illness brought on by his intolerance to Vulcan's outdoor climate, lay asleep with driplines in his arms and a blanket covering his clothes. Despite his young age, Lorian hadn't put up a fight about being in the hospital.

While T'Pol stayed by Lorian's side, she thought about how she had inadvertently created a mental-link with James Kirk during the times when she had been involved with his torture. In her view, James was ignorant and the link wouldn't affect him so long as he stayed in his current routine and didn't allow emotions to begin controlling what decisions he made. However, if he allowed emotion to control him…

The door suddenly slid open and T'Pol looked towards it, "Mister Reed, what is the reason for your visit?" she asked in as toneless a voice as she could muster. "How did you ascertain my location?"

"That is irrelevant," Lucas replied in a sharp voice. "You are aware of Elizabeth Dehner's arrival at this facility a few days ago for trial, correct? She is currently here undergoing a competency assessment…"

T'Pol sighed, "How do these facts concern me?" she asked tonelessly. "My child is ill and resting and…"

"You've been emotionally compromised since your last encounter with James Kirk," Lucas replied, a small smirk on his face. "I have asked your colleagues about you and they attribute it to the problems you have had with Trellium-D in the past, but I know better; you are distressed by your mind-link."

T'Pol frowned, "Meditation and distractions help with the distress," she replied. "You cannot tell…"

"If you wish your little issue to remain secret, I want a favor," Lucas stated coldly. "Use your influence among your peers to keep Elizabeth Dehner from prison; get her sent to a mental hospital instead."

T'Pol raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything, "I suggest you work quickly," Lucas continued coldly.

Before T'Pol could reply, Lucas promptly dematerialized, "T'Pol to Ambassador Sarek," she spoke as she opened the communicator that she always kept on hand. "I request a meeting with you immediately."

* * *

_MURDERER EXTRADITED TO VULCAN FOR TRIAL: VULCAN EMBASSY SEEKING LIFE SENTENCE._

Arianne sighed and clicked off the Starfleet Gazette button that was on the screen before leaning back in the cushioned chair that sat behind her tiny desk. Classes had just ended for the day and Arianne had quickly retreated to her counseling office at Starfleet Medical to do some work before the rush.

Seeing as it was Friday, most cadets would rush through their homework before changing into civilian clothes and going off campus to take advantage of the late weekend curfew.

However, this Friday was to be the announcement of who had made the crew that Professor Khan was going to take into space on the USS Farragut on a training cruise as part of a joint effort between him and Commander Harriman.

After the final list was out, Arianne silently thought as she looked through a PADD she had to read for Advanced Diplomacy, there would no doubt be waves of emotional cadets coming to her for reassurance of their worth to the Fleet. There were more experienced medical staff that would no doubt be happy to be of help, but a lot of cadets were reassured by her combination of youth and maturity.

The door chime suddenly sounded, "Come in," Arianne said pleasantly, setting the PADD on her desk.

To Arianne's surprise, the door opened and her father came into the room, "What are you doing in here?" Chris asked in a surprised voice. "I thought you'd be at the pavilion with the rest of the cadets."

"If anybody I know is or is not on the list, I'll hear about it when they come to my office needing to speak to a counselor," Arianne replied softly. "I think some people will be, so that's why I'm in here."

Chris sighed, "You could be among those chosen," he stated gently, leaning against the open doorway.

"I don't expect to be, Father," Arianne admitted somberly. "I am not at the top of any of my classes, nor am I a social butterfly. Professor Khan is going to choose those who can grow to be leaders and I…"

A look of surprise crossed Chris's face, "Honey, you've come so far since you were a child and struggling in civilian schooling," he commented gently. "You are lauded as a hero by many who are still struggling with their feelings from what happened in December from both Starfleet and the Vulcan Embassy."

"Father, Vulcans do not struggle with emotions," Arianne replied softly. "No Vulcans have come to seek counseling over this incident; they would not seek counseling from an imperfect Human such as myself."

Chris pursed his lips, "While it is true that the Vulcans have alternate methods of grieving, it is not true that they wouldn't seek your assistance on important matters," he stated firmly. "You are very unique."

Before Arianne could reply, Spock came into view and stopped in the open doorway with a stylus in his hand, "I apologize for interrupting your conversation, Captain and Lieutenant Pike," he said in a toneless voice as he held the stylus out. "However, Professor Khan's list has been revealed to the cadets and…"

"Spock, please, I will hear about it soon enough," Arianne replied abruptly, cutting him off as she stood up. "I think I'll close the office for a few hours and go do a bit of aquafit at the pool. "I need a release."

Raising an eyebrow, Spock walked over to the desk and extended the stylus to her, "I doubt you will have time for swimming, Lieutenant, with all the preparations you are required to participate in before the training cruise on Monday," he commented tonelessly. "I offer my sincere congratulations…"

Frowning, Arianne peered at the stylus and was shocked to see her name on the list of the select hundred who would be on the Farragut. Next to her name was written _'Assignment: TBD by Prof.'_

"What does TBD by Prof mean?" Arianne asked as she returned the stylus to Spock. "Is that bad?"

Spock gazed at the stylus briefly before looking at Arianne, "It means you are to report to Orbital Spacedock by 0600 Monday morning with the others who were chosen," he replied tonelessly, giving her as much of a reassuring look as he could. "The cadets assigned to Engineering and Operations will be required to report to the Farragut by tomorrow evening to learn how the equipment operates."

"I see," Arianne said in a quiet voice. "Am I right in assuming there is to be a celebration of this?"

Spock nodded, "Professor Khan is in the process of putting together an elaborate gathering that will be held in the ballroom at Starfleet Command at 1900 hours," he replied tonelessly. "He has requested that all cadets on the list, all Academy instructors, all members of Starfleet Command, and any available personnel from the various Embassies attend the gathering. The code of dress is dress uniforms…"

"Understood," Arianne replied, not intending to attend the party. "Thank you for informing me."

Chris studied Arianne's expression for a moment and then nodded to Spock, "Commander Spock, you and I should go make our own preparations for this evening's event," he said, knowing that Arianne wanted some time alone. "Lieutenant Pike, what you do with the rest of the afternoon is your choice."

Arianne nodded and stood at attention until her father and Spock left the room. Once the door was closed, she sighed and stepped away from her desk. She badly needed a distraction from the sudden stress she was feeling about attending such a prestigious event; it wasn't just because of what had happened in December, it was also because large social gatherings had always been difficult for her.

* * *

Nearly half an hour later, Arianne slammed the door of the locker where her cadet uniform hung and strode out on to the pool deck clad only in a light blue, one-piece swim suit instead of the standard black wetsuit she usually wore when swimming with her hair in a loose ponytail that trailed down her back.

The pool was completely empty and for that, Arianne was grateful. It took her only a few seconds to climb into the water and begin a slow jog across the width of the shallow end while doing slow breathing and hand exercises that were part of the meditation that Sarek had instructed her in.

Several minutes of quiet passed when there was suddenly a chuckle, "I'm so looking forward to this party tonight," Arianne heard an amused female voice say. "I have been looking forward to spending time with Spock outside of our study sessions. Marla, I bet you'll be happy to see Professor Khan."

"Even if I will be, it's inappropriate to have such feelings for an Academy instructor," Arianne heard Marla say in a very reluctant voice. "Nyota, look; Lieutenant Pike's already in the swimming pool."

Arianne turned just in time to see Nyota glare at her before assuming a neutral expression and also saw that Marla, Christine, and Gaila were also standing on the deck, "I promised Spock I wouldn't antagonize her anymore," Nyota hissed. "Let's just ignore her and go lounge in the hot tub and sauna, okay ladies?"

Swallowing hard, Arianne turned away until she was sure that Nyota, Marla, Christine, and Gaila were gone and then she swam back to the other side of the pool. She slowly got out of the pool and suddenly noticed that her cadet uniform was hanging on a towel hook and was completely covered in soap.

There was a small note attached to the collar with a safety pin, so Arianne picked up the note and scanned it.

_Consider this a reminder of your place._

A quick glance around the aquatic area told Arianne that Nyota, Gaila, Marla, and Christine were all in the sauna and obviously not guilty of damaging her cadet clothes. Fighting the urge to panic, Arianne dug her communicator out of her pocket and was relieved to see that it hadn't been damaged.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Lieutenant," a deep voice said as Arianne suddenly felt a knife pressed against her throat and a gloved hand around her neck. "Elizabeth Dehner says hello and so do I."

Immediately recognizing the voice as belonging to Lucas Reed, Arianne shuddered, "Elizabeth Dehner's been extradited to Vulcan for trial," she replied anxiously. "How could she have contacted you?"

"Section 31 has their ways," Lucas replied coldly. "Now, Lieutenant, you and I are going to take a walk."

Arianne silently waited until Lucas moved his hand away from her neck and then belted him hard in the stomach. As Lucas sank to the floor, Arianne blood oozing down her neck and she immediately covered the spot with her hand, "What are you going to do now, Lieutenant?" Lucas asked as he sat on the floor clutching his injured stomach. "You could always kill me and do away with one of the greatest agents…"

"It would not be right to commit a cold blooded murder," Arianne replied shakily as Lucas slowly got to his feet and advanced on her with the knife pointed outward. "Even for Section 31 agents, it would…"

Lucas chuckled as he slowly drew the tip of the blade across the bleeding area, "Section 31 has done worse things than kill people in cold blood," he replied smoothly. "I could kill you right here and…"

Suddenly, just as Arianne closed her eyes in defeat, she suddenly felt Lucas being pulled off of her, "Don't even think about touching her again," Arianne heard Leonard's angry voice say. "Got it?"

Arianne opened her eyes and was surprised to see both Leonard and Jim standing there in Academy-issue wetsuits with Lucas against the wall, "Well, Bones, we came in for a swim and ended up stopping a murder," Jim commented in an abrupt voice as he walked over to Arianne. "Arianne, you're bleeding."

"I'm fine, Jim," Arianne replied, not willing to meet his gaze. "Lucas just had a message for me."

Ignoring the murderous look in Leonard's eyes, Lucas chuckled, "Yes, I must now be going," Lucas replied as he quickly belted Leonard in the jaw and pulled free. "May you all have a pleasant day."

To Leonard and Jim's surprise, Lucas tapped a device on his wrist and promptly dematerialized, "Jim, honestly, I'm so scared," Arianne whispered in a faint voice as she began to feel tired from blood loss.

"Don't be," Jim replied softly as Leonard turned his attention to them. "Why don't you sit down?"

Too shocked to argue, Arianne allowed Jim to help her to sit on the deck, "They're minor cuts, so I'll be able to treat them with the stuff I have in my student medkit," Leonard explained as knelt down and studied the cuts on her neck before standing up again. "It's in my locker; I'll just go and get it."

As Leonard hurried off into the boys' locker room, Jim wrapped his towel around Arianne's shoulders and helped her to lean against the wall, "Lucas said Elizabeth sent him, but Elizabeth's imprisoned on Vulcan awaiting trial," Arianne whispered in a soft, but anxious voice. "He threatened to kill me."

Before Jim could reply, Leonard returned with a medkit in one hand and a pair of sweats and a sweatshirt in the other, "I always bring spare clothes to the gym so that I don't have to wear the clothes I sweat in," Leonard explained gently as he knelt down and opened the medkit. "I have to clean these cuts and then bandage them up before you can get dressed. Maybe you should call it an early night…"

"I'm Captain Pike's daughter, a Starfleet counselor, and a member of the training crew," Arianne replied in a gentle, yet very firm voice. "If I didn't show up at the gathering tonight, it would be very rude."

Leonard sighed, but said nothing as he cleaned Arianne's cuts with antiseptic wipes and then put small bandages over each of them, "Thank you for your help," Arianne said in a shaky voice as she slowly stood up and hugged herself. "I've got to go and get ready for this evening's gathering. I'll see you…"

"Maybe you shouldn't be left alone," Jim piped up in a concerned voice. "Because of blood loss."

Arianne smiled and gently hugged Jim, "I'll be fine, Jim," she replied softly. "See you later."

Letting out a sigh, Arianne took the clothes from Leonard and disappeared into the girls' bathroom before anyone could stop her, "I'm going to do some laps," Leonard said in a quiet voice, deeply shocked about how angry Arianne being assaulted had made him feel; he needed to blow of some steam badly.

Jim nodded and wandered off towards the spa and sauna to see if there was anyone he could bother until it was time to go get ready for the gathering. As he approached the now-empty hot tub, he heard the splashes that indicated that Leonard had dived into the pool and was now swimming very fast.

Nobody noticed, through all that had happened, that a security camera had recorded everything.

* * *

"I would like to speak with Scientist T'Pol," Lucas replied, glaring at the Vulcan who had answered the call he had put into the Vulcan Science Institution upon returning to his apartment. "It is urgent."

There was silence as the Vulcan looked off screen, said something in a low voice, and looked back at him with the same stoic expression on his face, "Scientist T'Pol has resigned and moved off planet with her son due to personal reasons," he replied tonelessly. "She did not leave any forwarding information."

Lucas snarled, but managed to keep from smashing the scree, "I would like to know the status of Elizabeth Dehner's judicial review," he continued in a professional voice. "I am her brother and I…"

"Elizabeth Dehner is set to stand trial tomorrow morning for the murder of the Vulcan Ambassador Soval," the Vulcan replied tonelessly. "She was declared competent for trial by Matriarch T'Pau…"

Lucas was shocked and promptly hung up without saying goodbye; in one stroke, his plan to assassinate Arianne for her role in Elizabeth's arrest had fallen apart and now Elizabeth was going to stand trial.

Now, on top of his failures, T'Pol had betrayed him and had fled Vulcan with her young son in tow.

Lucas gritted his teeth in fury; there was nothing else left to do but report back to Section 31 with news of his double failure. However, before he could leave his apartment, he needed to think over the words he would use to explain his failures. Section 31 was a very unforgiving group, especially to their own.

* * *

_**Copernicus Village, Luna**_

The journey from Vulcan had been short, but the first thing T'Pol did was put Lorian into a bed where he could rest while the drip-bags drained the rest of their hydrating fluids into his small body. She then prepared two cups of spice tea from the replicator and had promptly returned to the living room where Ambassador Sarek had waited upon their arrival at the empty house within the small lunar village.

"Here is some spice tea, Ambassador Sarek," T'Pol said, handing him a cup. "To serve as gratitude."

Ambassador Sarek took the cup and sipped it, "There is no need to express gratitude," he replied in a toneless voice as T'Pol sat on a small chair where she could face him and also keep watch on Lorian.

"There was no other choice but to ask for your help, Ambassador," T'Pol stated in a slightly emotional voice as she sipped her tea. "I could not allow myself to commit such a dishonest action; Elizabeth Dehner murdered Ambassador Soval in cold blood and the only logical consequence is prison…"

Ambassador Sarek nodded, "Your logic is sound," he replied tonelessly. "You feared for the safety of yourself as well as Lorian if it ever became known that you failed to commit such an action."

"I worry for my safety even here," T'Pol stated tonelessly. "I have very sacred secrets, Sarek."

Finishing off his tea, Ambassador Sarek rose from the couch, "Your secrets and your presence here will be known only by T'Pau, Doctor T'Pan, and myself," he stated tonelessly. "You both will be safe here."

T'Pol nodded, "I thank you for your assistance, Ambassador Sarek," she replied. "Live long and prosper."

"Live long and prosper, T'Pol," Ambassador Sarek replied tonelessly. "I will keep in touch with you."

T'Pol was silent as Ambassador Spock left her apartment-like dwelling and then she went back to the bedroom where Lorian was sound asleep in bed. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at the small ceiling that was decorated with star-like glitter; her hope was that Lorian would eventually come to enjoy living in this lunar village and any thoughts of her link with James Kirk would fade with time.

Outside, in the small, dome-like enclosure that protected the village from the harsh climate of space, Sarek silently headed back to the small shuttle he had used to transport T'Pol and Lorian to Luna after T'Pol had sought his assistance. He would continue to help T'Pol however and whenever he could, as she would need continual counseling over her sudden link and also in how to keep her and Lorian safe.

Now, however, Sarek was needed on Earth to attend a gathering at the request of Starfleet Academy.

* * *

Classical music filled the large ballroom and Arianne, who had gone back to her dorm and rested until it was time to get ready for the party, sat silently at a table near the dance floor. It was half an hour into the party and she was content with staying out of the limelight unless someone forced her into it.

Cadets were scattered all over the dance floor and were also gathered around the buffet tables while various members of Academy Command and Starfleet Command were gathered on the upper level, talking diplomacy and politics with those from the Embassies who were able to make it to the gathering.

"Not one for crowds, Lieutenant Pike?" Admiral Archer, who had quickly talked his way through every diplomat and cadet he was friendly with and now wanted to leave, asked as he approached her.

Arianne sighed, "Admiral Archer, I am just staying out of the limelight," she replied in an uneasy voice as she looked up at him. "I've already heard whispers that I must have used my influence as Captain Pike's daughter to get a spot on the training crew, but I was surprised that my disabilities didn't matter…"

"I didn't regard anything but desire to grow, effort, skills, and qualifications in who I selected," Professor Khan's voice suddenly spoke in a calm, smooth tone. "You have all of those things, Lieutenant Pike."

Swallowing hard, Arianne turned her head and was surprised to see Professor Khan standing in front of her wearing a complete dress uniform with a small glass in hand, "P-Professor Khan, I didn't realize that you heard me," she spoke nervously, worried that Professor Khan would take her off the training crew.

"I have extraordinary hearing, Lieutenant," Professor Khan replied calmly. "You do not need to worry about your disabilities, as the training cruise is a learning experience designed for cadets to learn."

Arianne nodded and Professor Khan smiled reassuringly at her, "So, I will see you at 0600 on Monday morning in the cargo bay of the USS Farragut for a crew briefing, then," he said in a tone of finality. "It will only be a three day cruise, with stops on planetary colonies so that various groups of cadets can have opportunities to practice their diplomacy and other Command skills; it will be enjoyable."

"Of course, sir," Arianne replied softly as she stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I'm rather hungry."

Professor Khan nodded and Arianne quickly walked over to one of the less crowded buffet tables, quickly choosing a small croissant that had some tuna mix in it from the many plates of food, "A sandwich for dinner isn't enough to keep up your strength, you know," Jim commented in an amused voice as he walked over to the table clad in his cadet dress uniform. "Bones would go nuts if he knew."

"Are you staying out of mischief, Jim?" Arianne asked softly, grinning at him. "Did you get some dinner?"

Jim sighed, "I'm allergic to a lot of the stuff here, so Captain Pike is having some special food delivered to me from the Academy canteen and it hasn't arrived yet," he replied in a self-conscious voice. "Bones is off talking with Doctor Puri and Doctor Harriman, so I'm just trying to stay out of trouble."

Arianne silently studied Jim's faked expression for a moment and then sighed, "James, what's wrong?" she asked softly, knowing that not all was well with her best friend. "Did something happen?"

"You know me too well," Jim replied softly as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a PADD, which he immediately offered to Arianne, "I haven't even told Bones about this, or anyone else."

Arianne nodded, took the PADD, and silently skimmed it, "I can't believe your mother," she hissed, quickly realizing that Winona Kirk had sent an article into the Riverside Gazette in which she publicly declared Starfleet, her husband, and also Jim as nothing more than mere figments of imagination.

"I just want to get out of here and drink myself into a coma," Jim commented softly. "I know the training cruise is on Monday and I'm excited to show what I can do, but I don't know if I can get to that point…"

Arianne frowned and her counseling instincts immediately kicked in, "This party is doing more harm than good for you right now," she said in a worried voice. "You know, we could always leave and…"

"Hey Jim, there you are!" Gary Mitchell, who had only just been cleared to return to his normal routines the week before, said as he walked over to Jim and Arianne. "This is some shindig, huh? Very classy."

Jim nodded, but before he could reply, Captain Pike came through the crowd and over to the buffet table holding a small bag in his hands, "Here's your food, Jim," he said in a gentle voice as he handed Jim the bag. "I made them tell me all of the ingredients before I even let them cook the food."

Not wanting to face a reprimand from Captain Pike for being drunk, Mitchell quickly sauntered off.

"Thank you, sir," Jim replied, forcing a smile on his face. "Should I eat it out of sight of everyone else?"

Captain Pike shrugged, "Professor Khan's not going to mind if you eat it here, Jim," he replied. "He didn't become aware of your food allergies until after he had ordered the buffet; he apologizes for that…"

"It's fine, sir, no worries," Jim said in an unusually quiet voice. "Thanks for bringing me the food."

Captain Pike nodded, studied Jim's expression for a moment, and then sighed, "Jim, why don't you spend the weekend at my apartment so you can rest and have no distractions while you get ready for the training cruise on Monday?" he suggested, knowing something wasn't quite right with Jim. "When you're ready to leave the party, I'm sure Arianne would be more than happy to walk you over there."

"Yes sir," Jim replied in a tone with less emotion than before. "I'll report there before 2300, sir."

Captain Pike looked to Arianne, his look indicating nobody would know about Jim's problems so long as he got plenty of rest and food for the rest of the weekend. Arianne nodded understandingly.

"I think we could both use something to eat," Arianne cut in, knowing that her father couldn't spend all of his time looking after her and Jim. "Jim, let's go sit at one of the tables and eat, okay?"

Jim nodded and allowed Arianne to lead him over to one of the tables in the corner of the room where, to Arianne's surprise, Leonard and Dr. Harriman were already sitting, "Ah, Ensign Kirk, Lieutenant Pike, how are you both doing this evening?" Dr. Harriman asked in a gentle voice. "Would you like to sit?"

"It'll give me a chance to eat," Jim replied as he sat in one of the empty seats that were on either side of Leonard and opened the bag of food. "Captain Pike got me special food because of my allergies."

Dr. Harriman nodded and smiled reassuringly at Jim as Arianne quickly pocketed the PADD that Jim had given her, "Um, Arianne, would you like to dance with me?" Leonard asked nervously, hearing a slow, very Southern tune suddenly come on over the loudspeakers, ending the classical music. "I'll…"

Arianne looked very surprised for a moment and then nodded, looking surprised when Leonard stood, bowed, and offered his hand to her, "Allow me to lead you to the dance floor, my lady," he said in a confident Southern voice even though Arianne could see nervousness in his eyes and sweat on his face.

"Of course, kind sir," Arianne replied, giving him a reassuring smile as she took his hand, rose, and allowed Leonard to lead her to the already crowded dance floor. "I might step on your feet…"

For the first time since before the destruction of the Cadet Center, Leonard chuckled and allowed a genuine smile to appear on his tired face, "My mother taught me to dance when I was a teenager, so I'll guide you, don't worry," he replied in a gentle voice as he placed his hands on her shoulder and waist.

Arianne smiled as Leonard began to guide her in a slow, yet relaxing dance, "I've wanted some time alone with you for a while," Leonard said in a quiet voice. "Did you know I'm back in counseling?"

"I didn't," Arianne replied softly as they danced through the crowd. "Is it helping you?"

Leonard nodded and inched himself a little closer, "It is," he replied gently. "I just feel so safe with you."

"I know," Arianne said softly as she gently caressed his cheek. "You're the first man I've ever truly cared about in my entire life, Leonard, and I want you to know that. I feel like you needed to know that…"

Leonard sighed, "Thank you," he replied softly. "Would you have a problem with us dating a bit?"

"No," Arianne stated in a gentle voice as the song ended. "Let's discuss it after the training cruise."

Leonard nodded and, releasing her, he walked her back over to the table where Dr. Harriman and Jim were deep in conversation while Jim ate, "How was your dance?" Dr. Harriman asked softly. "I was just telling Cadet Kirk here that I'll be heading up the Medical Department during the training cruise."

"I was assigned to the Medical Department," Leonard commented. "Will Doctor Puri also be coming?"

Dr. Harriman shook her head, "It was at Lieutenant Pike's recommendation that I be given some opportunity to become comfortable in space again," she replied, smiling at Arianne. "I'm excited for this, as I haven't been on a ship since the Kelvin and I think I'm ready to take that responsibility again."

Jim paled slightly at the mention of the Kelvin, but he said nothing, "Doctor Puri will remain on Earth with the other medical staff to maintain Starfleet Medical," Dr. Harriman explained in a gentle voice as Commander Harriman walked over to the table holding one of his gloved hands out. "Ah, hello John!"

"Lara, darling, would you care to join me for a dance?" Commander Harriman asked in a gentle voice.

Lara laughed and got to her feet, "Of course, darling John," she replied as she huddled close to him.

As Commander Harriman and Lara walked off, Leonard looked at Arianne, "Did you have anything to eat?" he asked in a worried voice. "You should eat a lot, considering you lost some blood today."

"If you want, you can get us both something," Arianne replied softly. "You need to eat too, Leonard."

Nodding, Leonard walked off towards the buffet tables, "Jim, how is it you got access to that article written by Winona?" Arianne asked softly, gazing at Jim. "I didn't think you could access that here."

"It was sent to my personal email address by someone unknown," Jim replied somberly as he finished off the food and gathered all the garbage together. "I'll just ignore it until after the training cruise."

Arianne nodded, "Just let me know when you're ready to go and I'll walk you to my father's apartment," she replied gently as Leonard returned with two plates of food. "You don't need to be anxious, okay?"

"You should eat so that Bones doesn't have a coronary," Jim commented softly. "Hey there, Bones."

Leonard smiled and set a plate filled with various healthy foods down in front of Arianne with some plastic cutlery before sitting down and setting his own plate and eating utensils on the table.

"I'm actually enjoying myself," Leonard commented as he picked up his cup and had a sip of water.

Jim and Arianne exchanged a glance, but said nothing; they decided to just savor the moment.

* * *

_**USS Farragut – 1700 H – Monday Evening**_

"Personal Log, Lieutenant Arianne Pike recording," Arianne said as she held her private PADD in front of her, resting her arm on the desk in her temporary quarters so that it wouldn't get tired. "The weekend was fortunately uneventful, as has the first day aboard the Farragut been. I spent most of the day assisting others as needed, as I have not yet been given my assignment by Professor Khan, which…"

The door chime suddenly sounded, "Pause recording," Arianne spoke into the recorder. "Who is it?

"Cadet Pavel Chekov," a Russian voice answered softly. "May I come in for a visit, Lieutenant Pike?"

Arianne smiled, "Of course you can, Pavel," she replied gently. "I'm more than happy to have visitors."

There was silence for a moment and then the door slid open, revealing a nervous looking Pavel dressed in combat boots, sweatpants, and an oversized t-shirt, "How was your training shift, Pavel?" she asked.

"It vas hard vork," Pavel replied as he came into the room, revealing a bruised face. "May I talk to you?"

Arianne nodded, "Pavel, may I ask how you got that black eye?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"I vas talking about Professor Khan's rigorous physical training vith Hikaru during our jog around ze Rec floor and some older cadets started following us; zey said I am just a baby and zey started a fight…"

Arianne frowned, "Do I need to file a report on your behalf?" she asked worriedly. "Please sit down."

Pavel sat on the couch quickly, "Ze older cadets vould be in trouble if I vere to file a report," he replied in a worried voice. "I have not even been to ze Sickbay about it yet; it vould cause too much trouble."

"Do you want me to talk to someone for you, Pavel, is that why you came here?" Arianne asked softly.

Pavel touched his face and winced, "I-I am scared of Professor Khan's reaction," he replied anxiously.

Before Arianne could speak, Pavel's nose started to bleed, "Vould you valk me to seeckbay, please?" he asked in a nervous voice as he placed a hand over his nose. "I am wery embarrassed about zis."

"Of course, Pavel," Arianne replied as she stood up and walked around the desk. "Can you stand?"

Pavel nodded and slowly got to his feet, "Sickbay's just one floor up, Pavel," Arianne said in a reassuring voice as she led Pavel out of her quarters and down the corridor towards the turbolift. "Just relax."

"…Professor Khan, you have no need to worry about anything," Arianne and Pavel heard Dr. Harriman say in a gentle voice as they quietly entered the Farragut's Sickbay. "You are doing excellent work."

Pavel froze in terror, "P-Professor Khan eez here," he whispered, cringing in pain. "I-I should go…"

"Cadet Chekov?" Arianne suddenly heard Professor Khan ask. "Cadet Chekov, what is wrong?"

Arianne sighed and gently led Pavel into the patient bay where Dr. Harriman and Professor Khan were standing at a supply cupboard, "Ze older cadets beat me up and called me a baby," Pavel explained in a somber voice, forcing himself to look both Professor Khan and Dr. Harriman directly in their eyes.

"Doctor Harriman will be able to take care of you, Cadet Chekov," Professor Khan stated reassuringly.

Swallowing hard, Pavel silently walked over to the nearest biobed and silently sat on it, "Am I going to be in trouble for zis, sir?" he asked nervously. "I tried wery hard to settle ze dispute wiz words."

"I have no doubt you did," Professor Khan replied smoothly. "Lieutenant Pike, please walk with me."

Not daring to argue with Professor Khan even though Pavel looked like he could use a friend at that moment, Arianne nodded and silently followed Professor Khan from the quiet Sickbay.

* * *

The Bridge was quiet when Professor Khan and Arianne stepped off the turbolift, "I thought you might enjoy spending some time on the Bridge since you are in both the Medical and Command tracks," Professor Khan explained as he walked over to the command chair and sat down. "Look around."

Arianne nodded and silently began to walk around the Bridge; she noticed that Spock was at the Science station, Mitchell was at Communications, Marla was at Operations, Hikaru was at Helm, Leonard was at Medical, and a perky looking Monty was at the Engineering station holding a large cup of coffee.

"Gamma shift, this is Lieutenant Pike," Professor Khan stated as he got up from the command chair and gazed around at the cadets who were currently serving as Bridge crew so that the older cadets could have time to rest, eat, and be off duty. "Lieutenant Pike will be taking the conn for the next several hours so that I will be able to get some rest. Respect her authority and treat her as you would me."

Without waiting for a reply, Professor Khan smiled reassuringly at Arianne and walked back into the turbolift, "Status?" Arianne asked in a commanding voice as she moved to the command chair and sat.

"The Farragut is on a direct course to Jupiter Station to deliver some supplies," Spock replied tonelessly as he turned in his chair to face Arianne. "Gamma shift began approximately two point five hours ago."

Arianne nodded and looked up to the Helm Station, "Mister Sulu, what is our current speed?" she asked.

"Half impulse per Captain's orders," Hikaru replied in a voice that forced him to keep all emotion inside.

Immediately recognizing that Hikaru didn't feel like talking with her, Arianne sighed and pulled out a PADD about Command social skills that her father had given her as a 'good luck gift.' She was well aware that most cadets already scrutinized her as being unworthy of Starfleet, but now that they were in space doing practical work, she knew that every eye would be on her more often than she wanted.

"Captain, may I have a word?" Spock asked as he stood up and walked over to the command chair with a large stylus in hand. "Academy Command has requested that each of the 'Captains' for this training cruise fill out an evaluation of their command experience, how their 'shift crew' behaved while on and off duty, and what could be improved upon for future training cruises. This, I believe, is your job."

Arianne nodded and took the stylus, "Commander, I appreciate you giving me something to do, but I haven't seen enough of the crew in action to give them a fair evaluation," she replied in a low voice so not to attract attention. "Now, to be fair, I'd like to hang on to this until I have a better chance…"

"The evaluations are not due until after the training course is completed, Lieutenant," Spock replied in a quiet, toneless voice. "I just thought you might like to have it on hand for when it is needed."

Before Arianne could reply, the turbolift doors opened and Serij came on to the Bridge wearing his instructor's uniform, "Commander Spock, may I have a word with you?" he asked tonelessly as he approached the command chair. "If you are conversing with Captain Pike, I can wait until later."

"If you need to talk to Commander Spock, Professor, please go ahead," Arianne replied, not wanting to step on Serij's toes because he would report all of her actions to Professor Khan at a later time.

Spock looked at Serij, "If it is something to do with the ship, it is more appropriate to speak to Captain Pike than it is to speak to me about it," he replied tonelessly. "She is, after all, the on duty Captain."

"Captain Pike, I request permission to go off duty until morning so that I may engage in private meditation to calm my mind," Serij whispered in a low, semi-anxious voice. "I am anxious…"

Arianne frowned, "Over Soval's death and Elizabeth's trial?" she asked softly. "That's not unusual."

Serij swallowed hard, "Captain, please, I do not make this request lightly," he replied softly. "I am well aware that I was scheduled to relieve Commander Spock this evening, but I must meditate…"

"If Commander Spock is all right with remaining on duty longer, I will permit you to retire to your quarters," Arianne stated in a calm voice. "I do not wish you to risk your health for duty, Serij."

Spock nodded and Serij bowed gratefully before leaving the Bridge in silence, "Serij's parents were killed when he was young and, like myself, he is half Human with a Vulcan appearance," Spock explained in a quiet voice. "Professor Khan took him on as an educational assistant at my mother's insistence."

"Captain Pike, we are approaching Jupiter Station," Hikaru replied in a toneless voice. "ETA, 10 minutes."

Arianne nodded and Spock promptly moved back to the Science station, "Mitchell, please hail Jupiter Station and inform them that we are going to arrive with the supplies in 10 minutes," she said in a commanding voice. "Scott, please lock on to the earmarked supplies and prepare for transport…"

"Aye sir," Mitchell and Monty both said in unison. "Executing our orders right now, Captain."

Arianne sighed, "Thank you," she replied in a commanding voice as she made notes on her stylus.

* * *

As the Mess Hall's chronometer switched to 0700, Arianne yawned and picked up the cup of lemon chamomile tea in front of her and began to slowly sip the tea. The dropoff to Jupiter Station had taken about an hour and there had also been a drop off of supplies made to Mimas during the night shift.

Other than co-ordinating the three drop-offs, Arianne had spent the duration of Gamma shift reading her PADD, evaluating herself, and making small talk with the Bridge crew to help them stay awake.

Around 0600 that morning, Professor Khan and other senior members of the training crew had reappeared on the Bridge and had retaken their stations. Arianne had quickly filled him in on the drop-offs and had explained about Serij's health issue. Professor Khan had thanked her and dismissed her.

"You know, tea's not really a balanced breakfast," Jim commented as he sauntered into the Mess Hall in his cadet reds and over to where she was sitting. "I could report you to the Acting CMO, you know."

Arianne scoffed tiredly, "I don't have much of an appetite this morning," she replied tiredly. "I took my meds just as soon as I got off duty and they make me lose my appetite for a couple of hours."

"Maybe you should talk to Bones or Doctor Harriman about that," Jim said as he sat beside her. "I know you want to be a wife and mother someday, Arianne, but if it makes you this sick to even try for that…"

Arianne sighed and, setting the cup on the table, she leaned against Jim, "I'll be fine with some sleep," she replied softly. "Besides, I think I agreed to start officially dating Leonard when we get back to Earth and I think it's best for both of us right now if we just take things slowly. Anyway, Jim, I'm tired."

"Okay," Jim replied as he stood up and offered his hand. "Come on, I'll walk you to your quarters."

Smiling tiredly, Arianne nodded, stood up, and allowed Jim to lead her from the Mess Hall. They walked past other cadets who were also switching shifts in silence and eventually, they reached Arianne's temporary quarters. Both Arianne and Jim were surprised to see Leonard standing outside the door.

"Rough night?" Leonard asked softly, smiling at both Jim and Arianne. "I thought I'd check on you two before I went to Sickbay to relieve Doctor Harriman. You both look as if you could use food and sleep."

Arianne nodded and punched in her door access code, "You're right, Doctor McCoy," she replied in a tired voice as the doors slid open. "I could definitely use some sleep, so I bid you both good night."

"Um, Arianne, hold on a sec," Leonard said in a nervous voice as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small disc. "I, uh, had a CD of your favorite music made as sort of a Valentine's Day gift."

Arianne smiled, took the disc, and rewarded Leonard with a kiss on the cheek, "Thank you," she replied softly before giving Jim a goodnight hug. "Happy Valentine's Day to both of you. Good night for now."

Ignoring the impish look Jim was giving her, Arianne silently went into her quarters. Leonard sighed happily and then walked off down the corridor with Jim, quietly insisting that they both get breakfast.

* * *

Back at the Academy, Chris smiled as he read the report from Spock about how Arianne was doing on the training cruise so far; she hadn't let her disabilities stop her from being nothing short of exemplary. She was actually better than most had expected.

"I'm assuming by the look on your face, Chris, that Arianne's doing well on the training cruise?" Jonathan asked as he entered Chris's office and sat in the visitors' chair. "You expected her to, though, so her success is not really a surprise to you."

Not bothering to ask Jonathan why he barged right into the office, Chris nodded and turned his chair to face him, "If Spock keeps sending me reports like this one, I'll be asking Arianne to join the Enterprise when she's graduated from the Academy."

"Well, the Enterprise will need a counselor with people like Spock on board," Jonathan replied coldly. "Spock's so cold…"

Chris sighed, "Spock is exactly what I need in a First Officer when the Enterprise is done," he replied stiffly. "When it's done…"

"When it's done, I'll get the run of the Academy until Doctor Puri thinks I'm ready for the old folk's home or the grave," Jonathan replied in an amused voice, cutting Chris off. "Chris, in all honesty, I think Arianne would do well on the Enterprise."

Chris nodded, "I know," he replied gently. "I've always hoped the best for Arianne; she's always been very special and deserves the absolute best."

* * *

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	27. April 2257 Part I: Understanding

_**April 2257  
**_

Grey skies and rain greeted Arianne as she pulled her dormitory curtains open and she stood there for a moment in her sweats, socks, and gray t-shirt to watch it fall, "Is it seriously raining again?" Christine asked as she came out of the bathroom in her cadet uniform. "Arianne, aren't you getting dressed?"

"Why?" Arianne asked softly as she turned to face Christine. "There's nothing until later today."

Christine looked surprised at Arianne's casual demeanor, but before she could reply, the door chime sounded, "That's probably Leonard wanting to go to breakfast or something," Arianne commented in an amused voice as she walked towards the door. "He's been taking me to breakfast every day for the past month and sometimes he brings Jim so that Jim won't have to be alone or try and go without eating."

Christine chuckled as Arianne opened the door, revealing a nervous looking Finnegan and Riley standing there in their cadet reds at attention, "Lieutenant Pike, Cadet Finnegan and I have express orders from Captain Pike to escort you to Starfleet Medical immediately," Finnegan explained in as toneless a voice as he could manage. "There has been a crisis and a fellow cadet is in serious need of counseling."

"Which cadet?" Arianne asked, suddenly worried that something horrific had happened to Jim again.

Riley shrugged, "Captain Pike wouldn't say," he replied fomally. "He only requested that you come…"

"Give me a few minutes to get dressed, all right?" Arianne asked as she hurried over to her closet and grabbed the hanger holding her cadet reds. "Feel free to replicate yourselves some coffee if you want."

As Arianne ran into the bathroom to change, however, Finnegan and Riley remained at attention.

* * *

Nearly half an hour later, Arianne arrived at Starfleet Medical with Finnegan and Riley and was surprised to see Admiral Archer, Captain Pike, Dr. Puri, and Commander Harriman all gathered outside of the patient bay with somber expressions on their faces. There was a curtain around a bed in the patient bay.

"Ah, Lieutenant Pike," Captain Pike said in a professional tone. "If you'll just follow Doctor Harriman…"

Arianne frowned, "Captain Pike, with all due respect, I'd like to be told what's going on so that I may be more efficient in counseling the cadet in question," she replied, suddenly feeling extremely uneasy.

"Lieutenant Pike, what is disclosed here today _does not_ leave this building," Captain Pike stated in an unusually serious voice as he looked at her with somber eyes. "Admiral Archer will explain, since…"

Admiral Archer sighed, "This morning at 0500 hours, Ensign McCoy received an email that his ex-wife, Jocelyn Darnell, was killed in a shuttle explosion near Luna," he explained in a solemn voice. "I'm not sure on all the details, but according to Ensign Kirk, the email caused Ensign McCoy to first experience a trance of shock that quickly progressed into a grand mal seizure. Ensign Kirk called for medical and…"

"What is Ensign McCoy's condition?" Arianne asked in a professional tone. "Is he alert and coherent?"

Not bothering to reprimand Arianne for interrupting Admiral Archer, Captain Pike gestured into the patient bay, "Doctor Harriman and Ensign Kirk are with Commander McCoy now," he explained in a somber voice. "The last report we received nearly an hour ago was that Ensign McCoy was awake, but was refusing to talk to anyone, including Ensign Kirk and Doctor Harriman, about what happened."

Arianne nodded and silently walked into the patient bay, "Starfleet Counselor, Lieutenant Arianne Pike, reporting for duty as requested," she said as she came to a stop right outside the curtained area.

There was soft talking and then the curtain slid open, revealing a nervous looking Jim and a concerned looking Dr. Harriman standing beside a biobed. Leonard was lying on the biobed in patient pajamas with two driplines in his right arm and a blanket over his body. His eyes were closed and his breathing slow.

"Ensign McCoy?" Arianne asked, trying to keep her voice professional. "It's Lieutenant Pike, Ensign."

Leonard didn't wake up and Arianne was silent for a moment, "Professor Khan lied," he finally said in a toneless, unusually hollow voice. "He said Jocelyn died in a shuttle in 2255, but she obviously didn't."

Arianne remained silent, unsure of what to say that wouldn't make Leonard worse. Professor Khan had told her the same story, but Jocelyn had obviously been a troubled woman and perhaps she had failed in her first attempt, so she had gotten another shuttle with which to try again. It was just a theory, but…

Leonard suddenly sighed and opened his eyes, "Can you and Jim stay?" he asked tiredly. "I'm real tired."

"Yes," Arianne replied softly without looking at Jim for confirmation. "You should go to sleep now."

Instead of going to sleep, however, Leonard slowly sat up, "I'd like to talk to Doctor Piper," he said in a tired voice as he placed a hand on his forehead. "I suddenly have the worst headache."

"I can go find Doctor Piper for you if you lie back down, Len," Arianne promised in a gentle voice.

Leonard nodded and slowly laid back down, "Bones, do you want some breakfast or anything to read?" Jim asked in a concerned voice, having not seen Leonard in such a state since they started the Academy.

"You can go get me something from the canteen if you want to, Jim, but that doesn't mean I'm going to eat it," Leonard replied tonelessly as he rolled on his side. "Doctor Harriman, can I make a call?"

Without waiting for Dr. Harriman's reply, Jim and Arianne silently left the curtained area and the patient bay, "Did McCoy talk to you?" Admiral Archer asked in a sharp voice. "What exactly did he tell you?"

"I apologize in advance for my rudeness, Admiral, but that is none of your business," Arianne replied in a tone that dared Admiral Archer to argue with her. "Now, if you'll excuse Ensign Kirk and I, please?"

Chris's eyes widened as Jim and Arianne walked off out of Starfleet Medical, "If your daughter isn't careful, Christopher, she's going to end up irritating the wrong person and end up tossed out of the Academy," Admiral Archer snapped as he glared at Chris. "She may be a Lieutenant, but…"

"Jon, this isn't the time or the place to be discussing this," Chris replied, cutting him off because he didn't want Commander Harriman, Finnegan, Riley, and Dr. Puri to see Jonathan lose his temper.

Commander Harriman sighed, "If you two are going to go to blows over Lieutenant Pike's competency, do it somewhere else," he said, noticing that Riley and Finnegan were giving each other looks.

"My office, right now," Admiral Archer hissed, having had enough of Lieutenant Pike's personality.

Suddenly feeling very much like he did at that civilian school when he berated the staff for not taking care of his daughter, Chris nodded and stiffly left Starfleet Medical with Admiral Archer, "Boys, why don't you go back to your dorms and get ready for your classes?" Commander Harriman suggested in a less formal tone. "Remember, everything you saw and heard here today is strictly confidential."

Riley nodded and didn't say anything; he had been an expert on confidential matters since being rescued barely alive from Tarsus IV. He wouldn't be sharing anything from today with anyone else.

Finnegan, however, coughed, "Sir, is Ensign McCoy going to be all right?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm sure he'll be fine in time," Commander Harriman replied softly. "Now, off with both of you."

Riley and Finnegan nodded and silently left the building, leaving Commander Harriman with Dr. Puri.

* * *

Nearly 30 minutes later, Arianne walked up to Professor Khan's office and found it not only open, but occupied. Professor Khan was sitting behind his desk while a distressed looking Marla sat on the couch.

"Professor Khan, may I have a word?" Arianne asked as she rapped on the wall. "It's important."

Marla tensed at seeing Arianne, "Arianne, get out," Marla hissed in an anxious voice. "We're busy."

"Cadet McGivers, will you give Lieutenant Pike and I a moment alone?" Professor Khan asked in a smooth voice as he noticed the anger and confusion in Arianne's eyes. "Please wait in the hall."

Marla's eyes widened, but she stood up and silently left the room, "How long was Doctor McCoy's ex-wife really a patient at your facility, Professor?" Arianne asked as soon as the door was closed. "Truth."

"I left the facility after she tried to murder me out of insanity," Professor Khan replied, raising an eyebrow at Arianne's question. "That same day, the woman took a shuttle and went into space. She left a note for me saying she was going to kill herself in space and that I couldn't stop her if I tried. I tried to go after her out of guilt, but all I found were pieces of shuttle debris; I came right home and cried…"

Arianne was silent for a moment, "I'm assuming you told everything to Doctor McCoy?" she asked.

"Yes," Professor Khan replied in a somber voice. "However, around 0600 this morning, I got an email from him that basically called me a liar among other things. Jocelyn, apparently, just died recently…"

Arianne nodded, "She must have beamed somewhere from the shuttle and hid somewhere for two years before getting another shuttle," she said in a serious voice. "It's just a theory, though, sir…"

"I suppose I should not get angry at Ensign McCoy for his email," Professor Khan said in a smooth voice as he leaned back in his chair. "If he needs a break on his coursework, I can of course arrange it…"

Swallowing hard, Arianne stood up, "I'm sorry to have bothered you, sir" she replied in a remorseful voice, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about having come to Professor Khan about Leonard.

"It is not a problem, Lieutenant," Professor Khan replied patiently. "You obviously care for Ensign McCoy very much and with your disabilities, I suspect that you sometimes have impulse control difficulties?"

Arianne was silent for a moment before nodding; when she had started Starfleet Academy, she and her father had met with all of the instructors to discuss her disabilities and how they impacted her learning and she remembered telling Professor Khan about her disabilities during the pre-training celebration.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne moved towards the door, "Anyway, I should get going," she said in an anxious voice. "I've got a lot to take care of before I go to classes today. Finals are in only a few weeks."

"Have an excellent day, Lieutenant," Professor Khan called out as Arianne silently left the office.

* * *

It took nearly an hour for Arianne to find Dr. Piper's apartment on the Academy campus and return to Starfleet Medical with him, taking the opportunity to explain Leonard's situation as they walked there.

As Arianne and Dr. Piper walked into the patient bay, however, they were surprised to see Leonard up and dressed in his cadet reds, "Leonard," Arianne commented nervously. "How are you feeling?"

Before Leonard could reply, Dr. Harriman and Jim, who was holding two duffel bags in his arms, came into the patient bay, "You don't have a lot in the way of clothes, Bones," Jim commented as he tossed Leonard one of the duffel bags. "Oh, Captain Pike's going to fly us to Georgia in a shuttle himself."

"You're going to Georgia?" Arianne asked softly, gazing at Leonard. "Because of Jocelyn's death?"

Leonard nodded, "Apparently, Jocelyn left me some stuff and I have to meet with lawyers about it," he replied in a tired voice. "I phoned my mother while you were gone and she said I can stay with her…"

"I invited myself along to serve as moral support," Jim spoke up in a somber tone. "What about you?"

Arianne gave Jim a funny look, "I wasn't invited," she replied before looking at Leonard. "Leonard, I got Doctor Piper like you asked me to. I can also talk to Academy Command about getting you a break…"

"Thanks," Leonard replied in the same tired voice. "Can…can I talk to Doctor Piper alone for a sec?"

Arianne nodded and left the patient bay with Jim trailing behind her, "I've been doing some digging on the internet trying to search for my mom and brother," Jim commented softly. "I searched Sam's name and the only Sam Kirk that comes up lives in Atlanta and does some scientific crap there, so…"

"Oh, Jim," Arianne replied softly, seeing the anguished expression on Jim's face. "Are you sure?"

Jim nodded, "While Bones is off spending time with his mom and meeting with the lawyers, I'm going to find Sam," he explained in an anxious voice. "Captain Pike will be there to make sure I don't…"

"Fly off the handle and beat the crap out of Sam?" Arianne asked in a concerned voice. "Jim…"

Jim sighed, "Maybe I'd better come with you and Leonard," Arianne continued in a worried voice. "I'm not going to force my company on either of you, so I'll leave it up to the two of you to decide whether or not you want my company. I'm not the best with social skills and you've gotta have good manners..."

"Your manners are fine," Leonard's voice spoke from behind Arianne. "Do you really want to come?"

Arianne's eyes widened and she turned to find Leonard standing behind her, "Leonard, I'm just concerned about you," she replied nervously. "I realize it was impulsive to offer, but I care…"

"I think it's a very kind offer," Leonard replied softly. "If you want to, I'd love for you to come."

* * *

Instead of packing, however, Arianne found herself standing in Admiral Archer's office having been summoned there as she left Starfleet Medical to pack. Now, as she stood before Admiral Archer and her father, Arianne had the uneasy feeling that she her competency was about to be called into question.

"Lieutenant Pike, have a seat," Admiral Archer said, gesturing to an empty chair beside Captain Pike.

Arianne silently took a seat beside her father and watched as Admiral Archer picked up a large stylus from his desk, "You're at the end of your second year and I think it's time for a little evaluation," Admiral Archer said in a sharp voice. "Your grades are surprisingly good and the reports from your instructors are nothing short of exemplary in terms of your practical classes, but I do have reason to be concerned."

"Why, sir?" Arianne asked in a confused voice. "My coursework and practical work are just fine…"

Admiral Archer scoffed and set the stylus on the table, "Your social skills are a nightmare and I've gotten reports from almost every instructor on campus about it," he replied in a concerned voice. "Lieutenant, I hate to tell you this, but Starfleet isn't just about academic skills, it's also about people skills…"

"Hold on a second, Jon," Chris cut in in a concerned voice. "Arianne's a Starfleet counselor and she…"

Admiral Archer scowled, "Counseling people is a lot different than being able to socialize with them," he replied in an irritated tone. "In the two years you've been here, I notice that you don't go out of your way to socialize unless you're prodded into it by Cadet Kirk. Command officers need good social skills and experience among other things and those are things you are clearly having trouble with."

"Jon, what do you mean when you say _almost_ all the Academy instructors have provided reports?" Chris asked in a confused voice. "I know that I've given you glowing reports, but who hasn't given any?"

Admiral Archer's eyes narrowed, "Seeing as Lieutenant Pike is the very first cadet with disabilities to attend the Academy, I've thought it prudent to keep on top of her progress," he explained in a terse voice. "Professors Harriman and Spock, however, have refused to give me any progress reports."

"Well, Jon, seeing as Arianne's been singled out because of her uniqueness, I'm not surprised that you're not getting the full cooperation of the instructors," Chris replied in a less than impressed voice, deeply disgusted that Admiral Archer would expect perfection from Arianne when she was giving her all.

Swallowing hard, Arianne suddenly sat up a little straighter in her chair, "If you want an evaluation from Professor Spock, Admiral, why not summon him to your office right now?" she asked in a daring voice.

Chris looked shocked at Arianne's attitude, but said nothing, "Very well," Admiral Archer replied in a calmer voice as he pressed a button on his desk console. "Admiral Archer to Professor Spock."

There was silence and then a beep, "Professor Spock here," a toneless voice replied. "I was about to depart my office to teach my Xenolinguistics classes, Admiral. May I ask what your query is?"

"I want you to come to my office right now, please," Admiral Archer replied coolly. "No arguments."

The entire room was silent for several minutes and the silence was only broken by the door chime going off, "Come in," Admiral Archer said in a commanding voice. "Lieutenant Pike, I don't know why…"

"Greetings," Spock said as the door slid open and he entered the office in his instructor uniform.

Admiral Archer nodded at Spock before looking at Arianne, "Lieutenant Pike, you and Captain Pike are dismissed to the foyer," he said in a commanding voice. "I want to speak with Professor Spock alone."

"Jon, I'm scheduled to take Ensign McCoy and Ensign Kirk to Atlanta Spaceport in a shuttle at noon," Chris replied in a concerned voice as he stood up. "I need to get going if I'm going to have everything ready by then. Kirk and McCoy are already packed and are probably waiting for me to get them."

Admiral Archer was quiet for several seconds and then nodded, "Perhaps you had better take Lieutenant Pike with you, Chris," he replied firmly. "I'll contact you after I talk with Professor Spock."

"Understood," Chris replied stiffly as he looked at Arianne. "Lieutenant Pike, please follow me."

Arianne nodded, stood up, and silently left the room with only a brief nod to Spock, "Dad, I don't understand what just happened in there," she said as she followed her father out of the Command building and down the steps. "I haven't done anything that's been out of step with regulations."

"You've been giving the Academy your all, honey," Chris replied as they walked down the pathway towards the shuttle bay. "I know learning takes a lot of your time and socializing's very hard for you."

Arianne frowned, "Why is Admiral Archer questioning my ability to become a good Starfleet officer after two years?" she asked in an anxious voice as she grabbed her father's arm. "I need the truth, Dad."

"I'm not sure," Chris replied honestly. "You've always had difficulties with other people, Arianne, but you've gotten better at co-existing with others over the years. Now, I'll admit that you're not perfect, but I also know that there are some things that are beyond your control because of your disabilities."

Arianne released her father's arm and nodded, "What's going to happen to me, Dad?" she asked in a fearful voice as they continued walking. "Is Admiral Archer trying to get me expelled from here?"

"Arianne, you're the first student with disabilities to attend Starfleet Academy and Admiral Archer, like a lot of the other instructors here, is still trying to figure out your strengths and also what you still need to work on before you graduate," Chris stated gently. "Nobody is going to expel you, I promise."

Nodding, Arianne sighed, "Dad, please don't mention this to Leonard or Jim," she replied in an unusually nervous voice. "I'll tell Jim myself later on, but Leonard's got enough to worry about right now."

"All right," Chris replied gently, smiling reassuringly at Arianne. "Go to your dorm and pack enough stuff for at least three days. I've got to go and prepare the shuttle, but I'll see you at noon, all right?"

Arianne nodded, kissed Chris's cheek, and took off across the grass towards Boyce Hall. Chris sighed and continued walking down the pathway towards the shuttle hangar. He spotted Cadet Kirk sitting under a tree near the library with his duffel bag behind his back and a PADD in his face, but Kirk didn't see him.

_What is Kirk up to now?_ Chris silently wondered as he continued down the path past the library; he had to prepare the shuttle, get clearance to land at the Atlanta spaceport, and gather his passengers all before noon, so he had no time to talk to Jim about what was going on in his head.

As Chris continued walking, he failed to notice that Serij, who was on his way to prepare the classroom for Professor Khan, had observed the entire encounter and was now heading back to talk to him.

* * *

"Yes, Serij, I am already aware of Cadet McCoy's situation," Professor Khan replied in an amused voice as he leaned back in his chair and stared up at Serij. "A Doctor Piper, who seems to be a friend of Cadet McCoy's, already contacted me and asked me to show some leniency in Cadet McCoy's schoolwork."

Serij nodded, but said nothing, "You have been a good assistant, Serij," Professor Khan explained in a calming voice as he sat up straight in his chair. "I express concern, however, over your weak health."

"I am able to function as needed, sir," Serij replied in a nervous voice. "My private meditation…"

Professor Khan nodded and tapped some keys on his computer, "There's a settlement on Luna called Copernicus Village where a young scientist named Sonak lives," he explained calmly. "I know you hate travel, but Sonak can help you to recover from the past that you have tried so desperately to overcome. You can also assist any cadets that may come there for advanced studies."

_I do not disagree that Nero's constant mental berations have taken their toll on my health. _Serij thought silently, "After finals are completed and marked, you are cleared for time there," Professor Khan explained. "I have cleared this through Academy Command and I have also notified Ambassador Sarek and Lady Amanda, who will check on you periodically."

Serij nodded and silently left the office; he had been unwittingly given an opportunity to prepare the galaxy for Nero's return.

* * *

_**Please read and review!**_


	28. April 2257 II: Serving Where Needed

_**Shuttle – 1300 H**_

"Jim, what are you doing?" Arianne asked as she walked out of the cockpit and saw Jim setting up what looked like a bed across the row of passenger seats on the left side of the cabin. "Is that a bed?"

Jim sighed and looked at her as he straightened up, revealing that he was wearing his glasses along with his cadet reds, "Bones is in the bathroom," he explained in a quiet voice. "He's not doing well."

Before Arianne could reply, the bathroom door slid open and Leonard came out in his cadet pants and his undershirt with his jacket folded over his arm, "I feel like crap," he whispered in a tired voice.

"We'll be landing in Atlanta in about an hour," Arianne replied gently. "You should rest, Ensign McCoy."

Leonard sighed and slowly walked over to the seats, "Bones, I made you a bed," Jim commented softly as Leonard sat down on top of the blanket. "You should try and get some rest until we get there."

"Yeah," Leonard replied tiredly as he lay down and rested his head on the pillow. "Thanks a lot."

Jim nodded and draped the blanket over Leonard's body, "This has nothing to do with Jocelyn," Leonard mumbled groggily as he turned on his side and fell asleep. "Everything hurts because of the accident."

"Accident?" Jim asked in a low voice as he looked from Leonard to Arianne. "What accident?"

Arianne didn't reply, however, as she had been granted very personal access to Leonard's medical file back in 2255 and along with listing his ex-wife, the record had also listed a deceased daughter. It made her wonder if Leonard's sickness was related more to his child's death than to Jocelyn's death.

"Jim, why don't you go sit up front with my father for a little while?" Arianne suggested gently, wanting to be alone with Leonard in case he woke up and needed anything. "I'll stay back here with Leonard."

Jim nodded and silently went up to the cockpit. Arianne sighed, sat down beside where Leonard's head was resting, and she gently began to stroke his pale forehead and hair to keep him relaxed and asleep.

* * *

_**Atlanta Spaceport, Atlanta, Georgia – 1430 H**_

"Blood pressure's low and temp's 101, but it's probably the humidity," a paramedic explained as he looked at Captain Pike, who was standing beside a stool where Leonard was silently sitting with his left arm extended and a tired, irritated expression on his face. "Doctor McCoy, how are you feeling now?"

Leonard said nothing as the other paramedic put an IV in his arm and then sighed, "I can't believe I threw up during the landing and almost passed out in Jim's arms when we were getting off the shuttle," he replied in a tired voice as he looked at the IV in his arm. "I had a nap on the shuttle, but I'm tired."

"You haven't eaten since supper yesterday," Jim commented, tousling his hair with a towel from the shuttle as he came towards them wearing boots, jeans, a t-shirt, and his leather jacket. "That's why."

Captain Pike's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say a word to Leonard, "What did you do with your uniform, Ensign Kirk?" he asked, gazing at Jim's clothes and the bag he was carrying them. "They need washing."

"I'll wash them later," Jim replied, not taking his eyes off Leonard. "Bones, how are you feeling?"

Leonard sighed and shook his head before closing his eyes, "Not good," he replied in a faint voice.

"Arianne, go get yourself and Jim a rental hovercar," Chris said in a firm voice as he reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and extracted one of his two credit cards from it. "Take this."

Arianne nodded and took the credit card, "What about Bones?" Jim asked worriedly. "We can't…"

"I'll ride with Doctor McCoy to the hospital," Chris replied, giving both paramedics commanding looks.

Arianne gently took Jim's arm, "We'll take him to Atlanta Medical Center," one of the paramedics stated, seeing the worry in Arianne's eyes. "Just ask the rental hovercar people for directions."

"Thank you," Arianne replied, gazing at Jim. "Jim, let's get going. Leonard is being taken care of."

Even though Jim did not want to leave, he nodded and silently allowed Arianne to lead him away from Captain Pike, Leonard, and the two paramedics over to where they could get some sort of rental car.

* * *

"We're finally here," Arianne said in an exasperated voice as she put the rental hovercar in park in one of the many parking spaces that were in front of the Atlanta Medical Center and turned the key.

Jim sighed and looked up from the PADD he had been reading, "Bones is probably in Emergency unless the doctors admitted him," he replied in a wistful voice as he pocketed his PADD. "Nice driving."

Nodding, Arianne grabbed the power chip out of the ignition, got out of the car, and waited patiently for Jim to do the same. Once Jim was out of the car, Arianne locked it and pocketed the keys.

In silence, Jim and Arianne walked across the parking lot and through the doors labeled 'Emergency Entrance'. They saw a room filled with tired, sick, and injured looking people waiting to be seen while several clerks worked behind a large desk in the center of the room on large transparent monitors.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for a patient," Arianne said as she and Jim approached one of the clerks.

The clerk sighed irritably, but looked at her, "Patient's name?" she asked in an exasperated voice.

"Leonard McCoy," Arianne replied in a professional voice. "He was brought in nearly three hours…"

Nodding, the clerk touched a screen, "Yes, yes, I know," she replied impatiently. "Who are you?"

"It's okay," a deep voice said from behind Arianne and Jim. "Captain Pike said they were coming."

Immediately recognizing the voice, Jim turned around and saw, to his shock, that Sam was standing behind him and Arianne dressed in boots, green scrubs, and a white coat, "Sam?" Jim asked softly.

"Jim?" the young man asked in a voice of utter astonishment. "What are you doing in Georgia?"

Swallowing hard, Jim looked at Arianne, "Arianne, this is Sam Kirk," he said in a terse voice. "Sam Kirk, this is Arianne; she's my best friend, Bones's girlfriend, and Captain Pike's daughter. Where's Bones at?"

"By Bones, I assume you mean Leonard McCoy?" Sam asked as he reached into the pocket of his lab coat and pulled out a small stylus. "He's in a patient room just down the hall for rest, rehydration therapy, and also some nutritional supplement therapy. Would you like me to take you to him?"

Jim nodded and grabbed Arianne's hand as they followed Sam down the hallway past several trauma and exam rooms until they finally came to a stop outside of a closed patient room. Sam opened the door, revealing Leonard asleep on his side in the hospital bed while Captain Pike sat in a chair near the window reading a PADD. Captain Pike looked up from the PADD and immediately got to his feet.

"Why on earth is he laying on his side?" Sam asked sharply, scowling as he swept into the room and over to Leonard's side to make sure all of the IV's were still in Leonard's arms and that the clip was still in place. "Captain Pike, I asked you specifically to make sure he stayed on his back, didn't I?"

Before Chris, Jim, or Arianne could reply, Leonard's eyes slowly opened and he frowned in confusion at seeing Sam at his bedside, "Who are you?" Leonard asked groggily. "Where am I? I feel really weak."

"I'm Doctor Sam Kirk," Sam replied in a more gentle voice. "You're at the Atlanta Medical Center."

Leonard scowled, "The last thing I remember is being in the shuttle," he replied groggily. "What…?"

"Bones, you woke up and threw up all over me while Captain Pike was landing the shuttle," Jim explained as he moved to stand beside Sam. "As we were disembarking, you sorta fainted."

Leonard frowned, "What time is it?" he asked groggily. "I told my mama we'd be there by dinner…"

"While you were unconscious, I dug through your bag and found your mother's number in a data PADD," Chris spoke up, seeing tiredness in Leonard's eyes. "I explained the situation and…"

Leonard sighed tiredly, "Mama lives just outside the city and doesn't have a working car or a transporter," he explained in a sleepy voice. "I said I'd fix her car while I was out here, but…"

Suddenly, Leonard coughed, "My throat's dry," he hissed in a semi-irritated voice. "I'm thirsty."

"Jim, get your friend some water, will you?" Sam asked, not bothering to look at Jim. "Now, Doctor McCoy, you've got several IV's in both your arms that are administering rehydration and nutritional supplement therapies and I want to monitor you at least overnight before releasing you…"

Leonard scoffed weakly, but didn't argue, "Here's your water, Bones," Jim said as he walked back over to the bed holding a plastic cup with water and a straw in it. "I hope you feel better really soon."

"He'll be fine, Jim," Sam cut in, taking the cup of water from Jim and holding it out to Leonard's face.

Leonard slowly sipped the water for a few seconds and then spat the straw out, "That's enough for now," he said in a faint voice as he closed his eyes. "Maybe after a sleep, I'll feel a little better."

"Maybe you will," Sam replied as he stepped away from the bed. "Jim, wanna get some lunch?"

Jim shook his head and immediately moved over to the window, "I'm not hungry," he replied softly.

"Am I going to have to admit you overnight too?" Sam asked in a concerned voice, deeply disturbed that Jim wouldn't look at him and barely talked. "Jim, we were kids when I left and we're both adults now…"

Chris suddenly looked alarmed and put himself between Jim and Sam, "Look boys, you two are NOT going to have this discussion in here while Doctor McCoy is trying to get some rest," he said in a commanding voice, well aware that Jim was ready to pick a fight with Sam. "Am I clear, boys?"

"Yes sir," Jim replied tonelessly, crossing his arms as he turned to look out the window. "Sorry."

Suddenly realizing that Jim was still hurting over their separation years ago, Sam's expression softened and he took a step towards Jim, "Jim, why don't you come over to my apartment for dinner tonight?" he offered in a genuinely sincere voice. "I've got this girlfriend named Aurelan; I've told her about you…"

"Just like you told me about Winona disowning me?" Jim replied bitterly. "Thanks, but no thank you."

Sam's eyes widened, but a quick warning look from Chris silenced him, "Arianne, can you please see Doctor Kirk out so that Bones can get some rest?" Jim asked in a tight voice. "Bones needs quiet."

"Sure," Arianne replied softly, knowing not to press Jim for details. "Doctor Kirk, if you'll follow me."

Sam nodded and silently followed Arianne out of the room, "I need to get out of here," Jim said in an anxious voice as he forced the window open. "Captain Pike, if Bones wakes, tell him I'll be back."

"No bar fights," Chris replied, giving Jim a warning look. "If you do something illegal, Jim, you know that Starfleet Academy will hear about it and will put a reprimand on your record faster than you can spin."

Jim nodded, "I just need some air and personal space," he replied softly. "Let Arianne know for me?"

"I booked two rooms at the Hyatt Regency," Chris stated softly. "I'll let them know you're coming."

Smiling, Jim nodded, climbed out of the window, and took off just as Arianne came back into the room, having been forced to listen to Sam's pleas, "Dad, where's Jim?" she asked in a worried voice.

"Cooling off," Chris replied calmly as he shut the window. "Why don't we go get some lunch, sweetie?"

Arianne nodded and silently walked over to Leonard's bedside, "I'll be back in a little while," she whispered as she gently brushed some hair off of his forehead and gently kissed it. "Just rest."

"Okay," Leonard mumbled sleepily as Arianne moved away from the bed and walked towards the door.

Chris sighed and silently left the room behind Arianne, leaving the sleeping Leonard completely alone.

* * *

_**Atlanta Medical Center – 1900 H**_

"You should really go and get some sleep," Leonard commented in a concerned voice as he watched Arianne linger by the window with a glass of lemonade in her hands. "Where's Captain Pike?"

Arianne smiled at seeing Leonard awake again, "Dad went to the hotel to eat dinner, do some Starfleet work, and relax a bit," she explained as she walked over to the bed. "I told him I was staying here."

Leonard nodded and sighed as Arianne drank some of the lemonade before setting the cup on the portable table next to a covered tray, "What's that?" he asked, frowning at the tray. "Hospital food?"

"Doctor Kirk brought it by before he went off shift," Arianne replied as she lifted the cover to reveal a large bowl of chicken noodle soup, a small whole wheat bun, and a tall glass of apple juice with a straw.

Leonard rolled his eyes, "I'm guessing Jim's not back from his little escapade yet?" he asked as he picked up the spoon from the tray. "I was asleep, but I could hear Jim leave; it's not like he tried to be quiet."

"I don't know, honestly," Arianne replied as she sat on the stool beside his bed. "You need to eat."

Letting out a tired sigh, Leonard got some soup and slowly ate it, "This doesn't taste as wholesome as my mama's food, but it's good," he commented between bites. "I just hope I can keep it all down."

"You'll be able to," Arianne replied softly. "And don't worry; I had a small salad about an hour ago."

Leonard nodded and after a few more bites, he put the spoon back in the half-empty bowl, "I can't eat any more for now," he said in an apologetic voice. "I guess Jim and Doctor Kirk almost had a fight?"

"They did, but my dad broke it up," Arianne replied softly. "Are you that light of a sleeper, Leonard?"

Leonard sighed and nodded, "Speaking of sleep, I suppose I'm really stuck here overnight?" he asked.

"Doctor Kirk will release you when he comes in tomorrow morning," Chris replied as he walked into the room in boots, dress pants, and a sweatshirt. "I hate to bust this party up, but visiting hours are over."

Arianne nodded and got to her feet, "You won't be alone tonight, Doctor McCoy, don't worry," Chris said in a gentle voice, smiling as an older woman in a pantsuit and her dark hair in a bun came into the room holding a quilt in one hand and a bag in the other. "I took a bit of a drive out of the city."

"Oh Len, you poor boy," Eleanora McCoy said in a worried voice as she hurried over to the bed, dropped the bag of clothes on the floor, and quickly covered Leonard with the quilt. "I brought this from home."

Leonard smiled, "How are you, Mama?" he asked tiredly. "I wasn't expecting to end up here today…"

"I know, baby," Eleanora replied gently, suddenly noticing Arianne. "Oh, you must be Arianne Pike."

Arianne nodded, but was too nervous to reply, "I'm Eleanora McCoy, Leonard's mother," Eleanora explained in a gentle voice, seeing that Arianne was nervous. "Leonard told me you're his girlfriend."

"Yes, Mrs. McCoy," Arianne replied, deeply intimidated. "Leonard's a very caring young man."

Without warning, Leonard yawned, "I think I'm just about ready to go back to sleep," he said tiredly.

"Goodnight, Leonard," Arianne said in a soft voice as she moved over to her father. "See you later."

Leonard sighed tiredly, slowly rolled on to his side, and closed his eyes, "Mrs. McCoy, why does Leonard sleep on his side so much?" Arianne asked in a confused voice. "Jim says that he does it quite a bit."

"Leonard was in a bad accident a few years ago and I think it makes him feel safer to sleep on his side sometimes," Eleanora replied softly as she gently tousled Leonard's hair. "My precious young man."

Chris gently patted Arianne's arm and she nodded, smiling at Eleanora before leaving with her father.

"Should we go looking for Jim on the way back to the hotel, Dad?" Arianne asked softly as she followed her father through the hospital and outside. "He's been gone for hours and I can't help but be worried."

Chris nodded, "That sounds like a good idea," he replied in a cheerful voice. "I'll drive us around a bit."

* * *

_**Hyatt Regency Atlanta – 2300 H**_

A clap of thunder boomed through the quiet lobby as near-torrential rain fell outside, but Chris ignored both as he stepped off the elevator and walked over to the concierge desk. He had been in his room getting ready to turn in for the evening when he had suddenly gotten a call from the front desk that a police officer was waiting in the lobby with a James Kirk. Chris had promised to come immediately.

Now, as Chris waited at the desk in sweats, a shirt, and slippers, he suddenly saw a soaked Jim huddled on the tiled floor near the entrance doors, hugging himself as a uniformed policeman stood a few meters away. Chris raised an eyebrow and silently walked over to them. The officer nodded at him, but Jim made no movements.

"What happened?" Chris asked, gazing directly at Jim's pale, tear-streaked face and soaked body.

The officer cleared his throat, "I was doing my nightly patrol of the downtown park and I saw this young man on a bench exactly like this and crying his eyes out," he explained in a concerned voice. "I spent nearly an hour trying to coax him to my car so that he wouldn't end up sick, but he was scared. Once we were in the car, he told me where to take him and hasn't said anything else since we got here."

"Okay," Chris replied calmly as he knelt down in front of Jim. "Jim, can you please talk to me, son?"

Jim sighed, "It's been a long day," he replied in a barely audible voice. "Too much has happened…"

"Yeah, a lot has happened," Chris said in a gentle voice, noticing that Jim was still wearing his glasses even though they were wet and probably hard to see things with. "Can I clean your glasses for you?"

Jim was silent for a moment and then plucked the glasses off his face with a shaking hand, "Should I radio for paramedics to come and take a look at him?" the officer asked worriedly, watching as Chris cleaned Jim's glasses and returned them to Jim. "Or I can make a personal call to Doctor Kirk; he lives just down the street in the Tower apartments and probably wouldn't mind just popping over here..."

"No," Jim spoke up in a tired voice as he put his glasses back on. "I just need to get warmed up."

The officer nodded and watched as Chris gently hauled Jim to his feet, "Thanks for bringing Jim here," he said, giving the officer a look that it was okay to leave. "I'll take Jim upstairs and get him to bed."

As the officer left, Chris helped Jim walk towards the elevators, "Just relax, Jim," he gently whispered.

Jim nodded and continued shaking as they got into the elevator, rode upstairs, and got off on the floor where their rooms were. As they came towards their rooms, Arianne was waiting in the hall for them.

"Oh good, he's all right," Arianne commented as she opened the door to the room her father and Jim were to share that night. "I already drew Jim a hot bath, turned down his bed, and also ordered him a hot dinner from room service. Really, Dad, you still think I can't hear anything going on while I sleep."

Chris sighed, "Thank you, Arianne," he replied in a relieved voice. "You should really get some rest."

"Let her stay," Jim whispered softly as he peered into the open hotel room. "She knows everything."

Chris nodded and carefully guided Jim into the hotel room and straight into the bathroom, "There's a pair of some of his clean clothes in there," Arianne explained softly. "I'll wait out here."

Once Chris had gotten Jim into the bathroom and closed the door, Arianne closed the door to the hotel room and had wandered over to the computer to check her messages. She sat down at the terminal, quickly accessed the Academy page, and entered her identifying information. Almost immediately, a small list of unread messages appeared on the screen, including an urgent one from Spock.

Swallowing hard, Arianne clicked the message and waited for it to load; obviously, it was lengthy.

_Lieutenant Pike,_

_I have placated Admiral Archer with an honest assessment of your performance over the past two years, but it has come to my attention that you require improvement in certain areas. Your academic and practical skills are excellent as previously noted, but I do agree that you require assistance with areas such as confidence, socialization, and dealing with past events that still traumatize you to this day._

_When you return to the Academy, we shall make arrangements to work on these things together._

_Sincerely,_

_Commander Spock, Academy Instructor._

Arianne sighed, closed the message, and skimmed through the other messages; she had several emails, including five from Pavel Chekov, asking to make counseling appointments with her. She quickly sent short, but very kind emails to all the requests saying that she would schedule them appropriately. There was also a message from Academy Command, reminding her that she had not been cleared to take her semester finals anywhere but on Academy campus and that she would need to soon return to campus.

Just then, the bathroom door opened and Chris came out helping Jim, who was now wearing a pair of sweats and an oversized t-shirt, walk over to the bed that was turned down. Jim peered at the food on the table, shook his head, and coughed violently as he silently crawled into the hotel bed and handed Chris his glasses.

"Jim, let me tuck you in," Arianne offered as she got up and walked over to the bed. "Jim?"

The only response Arianne got was quiet sleeping noises and she smiled when Jim curled up in a ball and slowly relaxed, "I don't know where else he's been all afternoon and evening other than the park," Chris explained, smiling as Arianne covered Jim up with the sheets and comforter. "A cop brought him here."

"That encounter with his brother obviously caused Jim to need some space," Arianne commented softly as she moved away from the bed and over to the door. "I'll talk to Jim more about it tomorrow, as Jim's never been one to want to have any sort of conversation when he's too tired to even think straight."

Chris nodded, "Go get some sleep," he replied in a concerned voice. "I'll keep an eye on Jim tonight."

Arianne nodded and, casting a concerned look at how pale Jim looked, she silently left the hotel room.

* * *

_**Atlanta Medical Center – 0600 H**_

"Arianne, I don't want to be here," Jim protested in a weak voice as he lay back on the seat of the rental car and promptly coughed several times as he looked up at her. "This cough will go away on its own."

Arianne shook her head, "You woke up and threw up all over the bed at 0300 H," she replied in a concerned voice as she stood in front of him to keep him from getting out. "Honestly, Jim, you should have just let Sam come look at you last night or at least let my father call for paramedics this morning."

"I'm too stubborn and difficult, I know," Jim replied in a pained voice. "Ugh, my chest is killing me and I hurt all over."

Arianne sighed and smiled with relief when an orderly came out with an empty wheelchair, "Captain Pike's inside talking to a doctor," the orderly explained, gazing at Jim through the car window.

"Come on," Arianne said in a gentle voice as she held her hands out to Jim. "Let's go get you well."

Jim groaned, but accepted Arianne's help in getting himself into the wheelchair and, except for the coughing, kept quiet as they went through the emergency entrance. Arianne was shocked to see her father standing near the desk talking to a concerned looking Sam, who was wearing scrubs again.

"So, Jim, I heard you're not feeling too hot today?" Sam asked as he walked over to Jim, Arianne, and the orderly and knelt down so that he was at eye level with Jim. "When did the coughing start?"

Arianne sighed, "Jim was coughing since 2300 last night when he came back to the hotel," she explained in a concerned voice as she gently placed a hand on Jim's shoulder. "He was out most of the day."

"Just give me some drugs and I'll get out of your hair for good," Jim said in a faint voice as he struggled to breathe and not break into another coughing fit. "Captain Pike's the one who insisted I come."

Sam nodded and stood up, "Take him to Exam One and I'll be there in a minute," he told the orderly.

"For what it's worth, Doctor Kirk, I don't think Jim hates you," Arianne said in a soft voice to Sam as the orderly wheeled Jim off down the hallway towards an empty exam room. "I think he's just scared…"

Sam's expression softened, "I know," he replied softly. "He just seems so different than I remember…"

"A lot's happened since you last saw Jim, Doctor Kirk," Chris spoke up, causing Sam and Arianne to turn to face him. "Anyway, Arianne, why don't you go say good morning to Doctor McCoy and his mother?"

Arianne nodded and walked off towards Leonard's room without waiting for comments from Sam.

* * *

Arianne entered Leonard's hospital room and saw that Leonard was still asleep in bed, but the bathroom door was closed and the bathroom light was on. She silently walked over to the bed and saw a half-drunk cup of water on the table along with a book. She also peered at the quilt covering the bed.

Leonard suddenly winced and opened his eyes, "Hey," he said in a groggy voice. "How are you?"

"I should be asking you that, Leonard," Arianne replied gently. "How are you feeling this morning?"

Leonard sighed, "Better than I was, but still pretty out of it," he replied groggily. "What time is it?"

"0600," Arianne replied tiredly as she sat on the stool. "You shouldn't be awake this early."

Leonard raised an eyebrow, "Neither should you," he replied in a concerned voice. "What happened?"

Arianne was quiet for several seconds and then she sighed, "Jim was out in the rain until 2300 H last night and he was brought back by a cop," she replied in a toneless voice. "He got sick early this morning and my father decided he'd better come in for a medical exam. Jim's being seen by Doctor Kirk now."

"Oh, boy, that should be interesting," Leonard replied groggily. "Doctor Kirk's been on duty since about three a.m. and he told me that I should take it easy for the next few days. I told him that I still have to meet with lawyers about Jocelyn's stuff, so he said that after I do that, I need to take it easy. Mama already told me that I'm coming home with her and that I'm staying in Georgia til I feel better."

Arianne nodded, "I'll miss you," she said softly. "I'll probably have to go back to San Francisco soon."

"Counselors never really get a break, now, do they?" Leonard asked in a concerned voice, seeing worry, exhaustion, and concern in Arianne's eyes. "Or is it something that doesn't have to do with your work?"

Arianne sighed, "It's nothing you have to worry about," she replied as the bathroom door opened and Eleanora came out in blue dress pants and a t-shirt with her hair wrapped up in a towel. "Mrs. McCoy."

"Call me Eleanora, Arianne," Eleanora said in a gentle voice. "Len, how are you feeling this morning?"

Leonard sighed, "Like I got run over by a shuttle," he replied groggily. "I still have finals to take."

"I'm sure my father can get the exams sent to both you and Jim and proctor them," Arianne said in a tired voice as she stood up so that Eleanora could sit down. "I got an email from Academy Command last night reminding me that finals are coming up really soon. I'm not authorized to take them off campus."

Leonard nodded and yawned, "It's really too early for you to be up," Arianne commented as she gently caressed his pale cheek. "Get some more sleep and I'll contact you later in the day, all right?"

"Mhm," Leonard replied sleepily as he closed his eyes. "Mama, go get some breakfast; I'm okay."

When Eleanora didn't move, Arianne silently moved away from the bed and walked out of the room.

* * *

"…Easy there, Jim," Arianne heard Sam say in a gentle voice. "Just relax and let me do my job."

There was a whimper and Arianne opened the door just in time to see Sam gently insert a hypodermic needle into Jim's chest. Even though he was lying on an exam bed with a blanket covering his waist, Jim quietly whimpered and tightened his grip on Chris's hand. Chris sighed from his chair, but kept hold.

"What's going on?" Arianne asked as she moved over to the bed. "Too much fluid in the lungs?"

Sam sighed as he extracted the needle that was now filled with fluid, "Jim didn't want chest tubes or medicine," he explained in a pained voice as he dropped the full needle into a box and pulled out an empty one. "I checked his medical records to see why and Jim's got a ton of allergies, so I relented and he let me do it this way."

Arianne nodded and watched as Sam put the empty hypodermic needle into the other side of Jim's bare chest, "Are you a doctor like your friend Leonard is, Miss Pike?" Sam asked as he twiddled the needle.

"No, I attend Starfleet Academy with both Leonard and Jim," Arianne replied softly. "I'm in a dual track of Command and Medicine, but I also have a four-year degree in Psychology from the University of San Francisco with a minor in Peace and Justice Studies. I thought briefly about getting my Masters, but…"

Suddenly, Jim's eyes fluttered closed and the monitor went haywire, "Jim?" Sam asked in a worried voice as he pulled out the needle and threw it in the bin before pressing a button above the bed.

When Jim didn't respond and the monitor continued to go haywire, Sam grabbed a crash cart from nearby, quickly turned it on, and revved up the paddles, "Clear!" he shouted anxiously, putting the paddles on Jim's bare chest and shocking him without a second thought. "Normal rhythm."

"No, Kodos, no!" Jim mumbled in a pained voice as his body tensed up. "Not the needle!"

Chris suddenly looked horrified as did Sam, but Arianne walked over to Jim's bedside, "K-Kodos the Executioner of Tarsus IV?" Sam asked in a shocked voice. "How would Jim know about Kodos?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Arianne replied tersely as she gently stroked Jim's forehead.

Sam's face drained of all color and he silently bandaged the areas where the needles had been, "I'm admitting Jim for observation and intravenous antibiotics," he said in a toneless voice. "I'll send in a lab tech to take some blood and a nurse to give him a gown. I also want to put chest tubes in his lungs to drain any of the remaining fluid since the x-ray showed that his lungs are clearly filled with fluid."

Chris and Arianne nodded silently, "Captain Pike, I'm assuming that you have power of attorney for Jim?" Sam asked as he looked at Chris, who nodded. "I need you to sign consent forms for all this later on, but for now, I've got to make Jim as comfortable as possible. You two should probably go eat."

"You heard Doctor Kirk, Arianne," Chris said as he watched Sam put tubes up Jim's nose and activate the small tank on the wall that would deliver oxygen into Jim's body. "Let Sam take care of his brother."

Arianne nodded and silently followed Chris from the room. Sam sighed and turned his attention to Jim.

* * *

**_Hyatt Regency Atlanta – 1200 H_**

"You need _what_?!" Admiral Archer screeched loudly, his expression skeptical as he gazed at Arianne on the screen.

Arianne sighed as she gazed at the screen of the Academy Command room where she had requested that all of her instructors meet for a vid-conference. "I need to be granted clearance to take my exams over the computer so that I can stay in Atlanta until Ensign Kirk and Ensign McCoy are well enough to travel back to San Francisco," she explained. "Right now, they're not…"

"With all due respect, Lieutenant Pike, the Academy cannot just grant requests like that without a darn good reason," Admiral Archer replied snappishly. "Finals start tomorrow and after finals are done, the summer term and practicums will begin…"

Arianne nodded, "Instructors, I am well aware that some of my exams are practical and require my presence on campus, but my talents as both a Starfleet counselor and friend are more needed in Atlanta right now," she explained in a firm voice. "If needs be, I will complete the exams during the summer term or simply take them over in the fall, as my schedule is light."

Admiral Archer scowled and moved away from the screen, "Lieutenant Pike, your grades are exemplary and I have no doubt that you will perform admirably in your practical examinations," Spock spoke tonelessly. "Delaying those exams would not hurt you academically, but I do express concern that delaying the exams would cause you distress from too much revision…"

"Instructor Spock, I have taken all of that into account," Arianne replied respectfully. "However, I'll be just fine. Trust me."

There was silence as the audio was muted while Spock, Admiral Archer, Admiral Barnett, Commander Harriman, Professor Khan, and the other instructors conversed about how to respond. Finally, after several minutes, the audio was reactivated.

"Lieutenant Pike, we have discussed this situation and, due to the circumstances involved, we have decided to grant you the request," Admiral Barnett spoke in a serious voice. "However, I want you to take your practical exams when you return and also provide reports on both Kirk and McCoy's health and they will both be put on medical restriction for the next two months."

Arianne nodded, "Yes sir," she replied obediently. "Kirk and McCoy also need a proctor for their exams."

"I'll contact Captain Pike about that," Admiral Barnett replied in a firm voice. "Be safe out in Atlanta, Lieutenant. Barnett out."

As the vidscreen faded to black, Arianne leaned back in her chair and sighed; she would get to serve where she was needed.

* * *

**I want very much to continue this story, but I need to feel motivated in order to continue. The only way I am going to feel motivated to continue is if I receive detailed reviews for this story. Therefore, I please ask for detailed reviews.**


	29. May 2257: The Courage in Giving Care

_**May 2257**_

_**Atlanta Medical Center - Atlanta, Georgia – 1100 H**_

"Jim, you're not supposed to be out of bed," Arianne said in a concerned voice as she entered the room and saw that Jim was sitting in a chair beside the window with a PADD in hand and his glasses on.

Jim scoffed and promptly coughed, "I didn't pull the IV's out," he replied tiredly, holding up his left arm that was laden with IV lines that were attached to bags on a nearby stand. "I've been here for nearly a week and I'm bored, so I got Captain Pike to email me some stuff on the summer classes I have to take."

Arianne sighed; after her father had proctored hers, Jim's, and Leonard's exams, he had taken Leonard and Eleanor out to the McCoy homestead outside of the city, fixed Eleanor's car at no charge, and then had been suddenly summoned back to the Academy to assist in planning for the summer semester.

"I'm guessing Leonard hasn't contacted you either, Jim?" Arianne asked softly, immediately wondering if Jim's irritability was caused because Leonard hadn't been able to contact either of them in a while.

Jim sighed and promptly coughed, "His mom called here last night and told me that Bones got everything squared away with the lawyers and it wore him out," he explained weakly as he saved the file he was reading and looked up at Arianne. "I just wanna go for a walk so bad all of a sudden, you know?"

Arianne nodded and walked over to the wheelchair that was parked near the closet, "I'll be your chauffeur if you want," she replied as she wheeled the chair over to him. "Doctor's orders, remember?"

"All right," Jim said in a tired voice as he put the PADD on the windowsill and slowly got to his feet using the IV pole for support so he could get into the wheelchair. "I wonder when I'll get out of here."

Arianne chuckled as she moved the IV bags from the pole to the attachment on the wheelchair and covered Jim's legs with a blanket from the bed. "You've still got a fever and a bad cough, so I think it'll be a few days at least, but Sam's your doctor," she replied in an amused voice. "Why not ask him?"

"Maybe," Jim said in a tired voice as he slouched in the chair. "Do we have to go anywhere?"

Arianne sighed and sat on the end of the bed, "Not if you don't want to," she replied gently.

Jim nodded and broke into a coughing fit just as the door opened, "Jim, I thought I said it was better for your body if you stayed in bed," Sam commented as he came into the room holding a chart in one hand and a small box in the other. "At least you're sitting in the wheelchair instead of on the windowsill…"

"Don't boss me around," Jim replied darkly, his calm demeanor quickly disappearing. "I'll leave."

Sam suddenly looked alarmed, "Look, Jim, I'll be blunt," he said in a professional voice. "I'm tempted to make you go stay in the psych ward because I'm alarmed by your behavior every time I try to talk to you, but I'm not that heartless. I do, however, want you to go attend counseling before I discharge you."

Jim scoffed, but said nothing, "I booked you to see this new counselor we have working for the hospital and I think she can help you," Sam continued as he offered Jim the chart. "Her card's on the chart."

Since Jim quickly looked away from the chart, Arianne peered at it and saw that the card was white with a small amount of print on it; the name on the card was Amanda Grayson, Inter-Planetary Counselor.

"Jim, do you remember when we were at that school in Des Moines?" Arianne asked as she pointed to the card, indicating that she wanted him to look at it. "Our headmistress for the first year?"

Sam was quiet as Jim peered at the card, "Wow," Jim whispered, peering at Amanda's name. "Wow."

"Now, Amanda usually does counseling through the vid-feed because she lives on Vulcan and can't always get here to speak to patients personally," Sam explained gently. "However, she's on Earth right now because her husband's the Vulcan Ambassador to Earth, so she's coming by to see you."

Jim nodded and handed the chart back, "When's she coming?" he asked, struggling not to cough.

"Tomorrow," Sam replied, tucking the chart under his arm. "You need to take a nap right now, I think. If you're good and stay in bed for the rest of the afternoon, I might let you have a shower this evening."

Too tired to argue, Jim nodded, "Oh, Miss Pike, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?" Sam asked as he offered the box to Arianne. "Mrs. McCoy called and said that she had ordered some supplies from the city, but her car got a flat tire as she was trying to come in. Could you take this out to her home?"

"Sure," Arianne replied as she took the box from Sam. "I don't know the way out to the McCoy's…"

Sam smiled, "Captain Pike had to go out there last week, so maybe the co-ordinates are still in the GPS of that rental car of yours," he replied as he set the chart on the counter. "Jim, do you want any help?"

"No," Jim replied frostily, coughing as he slowly stood up and shuffled back to the hospital bed.

Arianne immediately set the box on the edge of the bed, "Jim, please don't be so stubborn," she said in an anxious voice, not liking how pale and tired Jim looked. "How long has it been since you've slept?"

"How'd you know?" Jim asked in a confused voice as he sat on the bed and looked at her tiredly.

Arianne sighed, "It's easy to tell when you send me barely readable emails and odd phone messages at two in the morning," she replied in a concerned voice as she walked closer to him. "I've been alone in Atlanta for several days now and if you don't quit being stubborn and start letting Sam look after you, I'll tell Captain Pike and recommend that you not be allowed back in any classes until September."

"You're so much like Captain Pike, it's scary," Jim commented in a tired voice. "Thank you for caring."

Arianne nodded, "Now, Doctor Kirk, see to your patient," she said, giving Sam a look as she grabbed the box and moved over to the door. "Jim, please try to behave yourself, okay? You're like my brother…"

"Okay," Jim replied in a pleasanter voice as he rested his head on his pillow. "I'll get better."

Ignoring the slightly crestfallen expression on Sam's face, Arianne silently left the hospital room.

* * *

Pain seared through Arianne's body as she turned off the road on to the McCoy homestead and she immediately parked the car so she wouldn't crash. She had been taking her progesterone pills regularly for the last several months and so far, she hadn't had any problems; however, now, with all the stress…

Swallowing hard, Arianne shut the car off, took the keys out of the ignition, put them in her pocket, and grabbed the box of supplies from the passenger seat, and placed it on her lap. She slowly got out of the car and, closing the door, she slowly made her way down the road towards the McCoy's homestead.

_When I get back to the hotel, I've got to phone Starfleet Medical and schedule an exam._ Arianne silently thought as she suddenly saw a large Southern looking farmhouse up ahead that had a large stable and fenced in area next to it. There was a rickety looking station wagon parked in front of the front porch.

Taking a deep breath, Arianne made her way up to the front porch and knocked on the door. There was silence and then footsteps. A moment later, Eleanora came to the door in a dress and an apron.

"Hello ma'am," Arianne said in a gentle voice. "Doctor Kirk sent me here with some supplies…"

Eleanora nodded and opened the door, "Come in," she said in a gentle Southern accent. "Tea?"

"Oh no, I really can't stay," Arianne replied nervously, not wanting to let anyone know she was hurting.

Eleanora scoffed, "Leonard and I could both use the company," she said in a gentle voice as she gently took the box with one hand and then took Arianne's hand with the other. "Leonard, we have company."

Arianne sighed as Eleanora escorted her into the den where Leonard was resting on the couch in sweats, slippers, and a sweatshirt with a pillow behind his back and a book in his hand, "Len, you've got a guest," Eleanora said in a gentle voice as Leonard smiled at Arianne. "I'll get you some lunch, all right Arianne?"

"How are you feeling, Leonard?" Arianne asked gently as Eleanora left the room. "Getting lots of rest?"

Leonard sighed and set the book on the coffee table, "I might be well enough to go back to San Francisco next week and start the summer semester late," he replied in a pleasant voice. "Could you pass me that stylus on the far end of the coffee table, please? I'm supposed to get my grades today."

Arianne nodded, picked up the stylus, and handed it to Leonard, "Thank you," Leonard replied as he tapped various buttons on the stylus and sighed. "Well, I passed all the written exams, but I've also got a notice saying that I have to take my MedSim Exam on campus when I go back to San Francisco."

Before Arianne could reply, her communicator buzzed, "Excuse me a moment," she said as she walked out of the sitting room and into the foyer before taking her communicator out of her pocket. "Yes?"

"Lieutenant Pike, please access a vid-phone and state your name for a call," an automated voice said.

Swallowing hard, Arianne returned to the den, "Do you have a vid-phone I can use?" she asked in a nervous voice as she looked at Leonard. "This automated message said I need a vid-phone."

Leonard nodded and gestured over to the wall near the fireplace where a communications terminal was installed, "My mama had that installed when I was a kid in case of emergencies," he explained gently.

Arianne nodded, walked over to the terminal, and punched in her identifying information, "Incoming call from Starfleet Academy, San Francisco," a voice said. "The caller is Commander John Harriman."

As Commander Harriman's face appeared on the screen, Arianne frowned, "Ah, Lieutenant Pike, how's Georgia treating you?" Commander Harriman said in a professional voice. "You're looking well enough."

"Commander Harriman, what's happened?" Arianne asked in a worried voice. "Why did you call?"

Commander Harriman sighed, "Your father and Cadet Chekov were attacked in downtown San Francisco yesterday afternoon," he explained in a somber voice. "Cadet Chekov's missing and your father received minor injuries in his unsuccessful attempt to keep the attacker from taking Cadet Chekov…"

Tears filled Arianne's eyes and she put a hand over her mouth in horror, "I'll get Lieutenant Pike back to San Francisco on the next available shuttle," Leonard said in a calming voice as he came up behind her.

"Ensign McCoy, how are you feeling?" Commander Harriman asked, giving Leonard a pleasant look.

Leonard sighed, "A lot better," he replied in a gentle voice as he put an arm around Arianne.

"Leonard, you should stay in Georgia and look after Jim," Arianne said in an anxious voice as she pulled away and focused on Commander Harriman. "Commander, I'll find a shuttle back there today."

Commander Harriman looked concerned, but nodded and the screen went black, "I've got to go back to the hotel and pack my things," Arianne said in an anxious voice as she moved past him. "See you later."

Arianne hurried into the foyer before Leonard could protest, "I'm sorry, Mrs. McCoy, I've got to go," he heard Arianne tell his mother in a distressed voice. "Thank you for your kindness and hospitality."

As the front door opened and closed, Eleanora came into the sitting room with a confused look on her face, "Leonard, what just happened?" she asked in a worried voice. "Why did Arianne leave in tears?"

"Sit down with me for a minute, Mama," Leonard replied softly. "I'll explain everything that I know."

* * *

**_Atlanta Medical Center – 1400 H_**

Jim's communicator sat nestled in his folded pajamas that were on the chair by the window and it began to flash silently, indicating that he had a message. Jim, however, was sound asleep in bed with his back to the window and one hand resting limply near the bed controls with a clip on his index finger.

The door opened and Sam came into the room holding Jim's duffel bag; he had used his lunch hour to take Jim's stuff to the nearest Laundromat and he also took Jim's uniform in for special dry cleaning. He set the bag in the chair next to the pajamas and noticed the blinking communicator, but didn't take it.

Sam's eyes wandered to the portable tray where a bowl of soup and a glass of juice sat untouched, "Jim, why on earth did you not eat your lunch?" he said in a quiet, but very exasperated voice. "Seriously."

"…Gotta save something for later," Jim replied sleepily even though he didn't wake. "Food…scarce."

Sam looked both confused and concerned at that comment and he quietly walked over to the small stylus that was still sitting on the windowsill. Checking to make sure that Jim was still asleep, Sam picked the stylus up, accessed the universal search engine, and quickly typed in 'James Tiberius Kirk.'

Almost instantly, hundreds of articles littered the screen, all of them referring to the massacre of Tarsus IV in one way or another and also referring to several individuals, including Jim, who had survived it.

"Oh, _no_," Sam whispered in a horrified voice as he set the stylus back on the windowsill. "Oh, _James_."

Jim suddenly stirred, but didn't wake and Sam quietly left the room to make a private phone call.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical – San Francisco, California – 1430 H**_

"Captain Pike, you have a visitor," an automated voice spoke over the small intercom that was just beside the bed where Chris was resting in a semi-sitting position to ease the pain from his broken ribs. A fluffy pillow also was underneath his ankle that had been fractured while trying to protect Pavel. His eyes and face were slightly burnt from the mace that Pavel's kidnapper had used to make a getaway.

Chris sighed and, ignoring the pain in his healing ribs and fractured ankle, he pressed the button beside the intercom, "Let them in," he replied tiredly as he rested his other hand, which contained a drip-line, on the chest of the t-shirt he was wearing since he adamantly refused to wear a hospital gown. Dr. Puri had relented only after securing a promise from Chris that he wouldn't use the bathroom unsupervised.

There was silence and then Arianne walked into the room with a young man who was wearing a cadet uniform, but also had a phaser on his belt. Arianne gasped at the sight of her father and Chris smiled.

"Let me guess, Commander Harriman commed you even after I told him I'd be okay?" Chris commented as Arianne and the cadet walked over to the bed. "That will be all, Cadet Hendorff; thank you."

Cadet Hendorff nodded and swiftly left the room, "I told Leonard I was leaving and I tried to contact Jim from the spaceport, but he didn't answer," Arianne explained worriedly. "I visited Jim this morning and yelled at him because he's so high strung about letting Sam take care of him; I hope it made an impact."

"You're one of the few people that Jim listens to," Chris replied in an amused voice. "I'm sure it did."

Arianne nodded and then sighed, "Any leads on what happened to Pavel?" she asked somberly.

"Starfleet Security is executing a nationwide search," Chris replied in a tired voice, knowing that Arianne was one of the very few people that Pavel actually trusted. "Pavel's passport is in my custody, so it's unlikely, but not impossible that his captor could leave the States with him. I have my suspicions…"

Arianne let out a distressed sigh, "When I first met Pavel, he seemed very afraid of his father," she said in a cautious voice as she leaned on the support rail of the bed. "Do you think his father might have…?"

"When I found Pavel in Russia last year, I immediately filed to serve as his legal guardian and have power of attorney over him until he was 18," Chris replied softly. "Because of Pavel's history, his father's lengthy record, and my history in Starfleet, both petitions were immediately granted and legalized. I'm not sure whether or not Andrei Chekov found that out; all he knows is that Pavel escaped the abuse…"

Arianne nodded, "There's not much you or I can do about the situation right now, as Commander Spock has already dispatched himself to assist with the nationwide search," Chris stated softly. "You can, however, take some time to talk with Cadet Sulu. He's Pavel's roommate and current best friend."

"Right," Arianne replied as she noticed her father yawn and wince. "Dad, maybe you should rest."

Chris scoffed, "Arianne, I'm not required to stay here overnight," he replied in an amused voice. "I'm allowed to go home as long as I'm accompanied by a responsible adult, which you definitely are."

"Dad, just rest for a little while, okay?" Arianne asked firmly. "I'll take you home after dinner."

Chris sighed, "Fine, I'll rest for you," he replied in a tired voice. "I actually could use a little bit of a rest."

"I'm going to see if I can find Hikaru," Arianne said in a gentle voice. "Maybe I can calm him down a bit."

Nodding, Chris closed his eyes and Arianne silently left the room, "Hendorff, do you know the current location of Cadet Sulu?" Arianne asked in a commanding voice as she looked at Cadet Hendorff.

"I do not, but I have an idea of where he might be," Cadet Hendorff replied. "Try the fitness complex."

Arianne nodded and silently walked down the hallway towards the exit doors to try and find Hikaru.

* * *

_**Atlanta Medical Center – 1630 H**_

"…How's Jim doing, Sam?" Jim heard Leonard's concerned voice ask. "…Something's come up…"

Jim forced his eyes open and saw Leonard, who was dressed in his cadet uniform and holding his bag over his arm, and Sam standing near the door, "Bones?" he asked groggily. "Where are we going?"

"You're not going anywhere, Jim," Leonard replied in a concerned voice as he walked over to Jim's bedside. "Captain Pike was attacked and Cadet Chekov was kidnapped; I'm needed at the Academy to take my MedSim final and also start working since Doctor Puri went with the search team…"

Jim's eyes widened and, coughing, he clung to Leonard, "Don't leave me here alone, Bones," he whimpered in a pained voice as he cringed. "He'll tell Winona and Frank and then I'm screwed…"

"Frank's dead, Jim," Sam spoke up in a somber voice. "He killed himself by alcohol poisoning six months ago."

Jim paled slightly, but said nothing, "Winona told me that when I called her earlier to ask why she would send you to Tarsus and leave you to die during that famine," Sam continued in a shocked voice. "We had a little chat and Winona cut the call; she claimed that she had to go get ready for a space assignment…"

"Bones, I want to go _home_," Jim finally said in a pained voice as he lay back on his pillow. "Right now."

Leonard sighed and looked at Sam for help in how to handle Jim, "Jim, you wouldn't be able to handle any changes in altitude right now with the way you're feeling," Sam explained as he walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it facing Jim. "You've got double bacterial pneumonia and still need about five days worth of antibiotic treatments before you'll be well enough to leave the hospital. After that, you'll need another week's worth of antibiotics, supervised rest, and care from a responsible adult."

"Arianne wouldn't make me stay here," Jim argued weakly. "Bones, comm her room at the hotel…"

Sam sighed, "You got a message from Arianne on your communicator and I listened to it," he explained.

Jim scowled, "You had no right to listen to my messages!" he shouted, suddenly breaking off in coughs so severe that he hugged himself to try and relieve the pain in his chest. "Ow, help me; it hurts…"

Swallowing hard, Sam scooted up the bed and gently reached for Jim, but Jim shook his head, "Bones, don't leave!" he whined, continuing to cough as Leonard slowly edged towards the door.

"Doctor McCoy, Jim's fever is spiking and I doubt he knows much of what he's saying or doing," Sam replied in an anxious voice as he placed one hand on Jim's forehead and the other on a nurse's call button. "I'll contact you when I've stabilized him and he's in a comfortable sleep. Get going."

Even though Leonard didn't want to leave, he nodded and silently left the room as two nurses carrying small medicine bags hurried past him and over to where Sam was now holding Jim. Leonard watched as Sam and the nurses talked quietly for a few minutes before one of the nurses handed Sam a syringe.

"Sam, no drugs," Leonard heard Jim whimper as Sam injected the syringe into one of the IV lines.

Leonard turned away as Jim suddenly fell asleep in Sam's arms and with a heavy heart, he walked away.

* * *

**_Starfleet Academy Fitness Complex – 1700 H_**

Arianne entered the gym and saw Hikaru, clad only in sweatpants and a gym shirt, punching the daylights out of a punching bag in the corner while a nervous looking Finnegan held it steady. Mitchell was on a nearby stepper, but he wasn't moving; his eyes were fixed on the distress in Hikaru's face.

"Hikaru?" Arianne asked in a concerned voice. "Hikaru, Captain Pike sent me to talk to you."

Hikaru slowly stopped punching the bag and lowered his fists, "Pavel's missing," he replied somberly.

"I know," Arianne said in a gentle voice as she walked over to him. "People are searching for Pavel as we speak, Hikaru, so why don't we all go get something to eat? Or you can go talk to Doctor Harriman…"

Hikaru sighed and leaned against the bag, "I ate before I came here," he replied tiredly. "I need rest."

"Mitchell, Finnegan, take Hikaru back to his dorm and stay there until I tell you otherwise," Arianne stated in a commanding voice as she stepped away from Hikaru. "Make sure he gets some rest."

Mitchell immediately got off the stepper and walked over to Hikaru, "Yes ma'am," he replied obediently.

Arianne silently watched as Finnegan and Mitchell gently took hold of Hikaru and escorted him out of the gym in silence. She then left the workout area and found herself walking towards one of the many yoga classrooms within the facility. Everything inside of her hurt and she needed to meditate badly.

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne sank down on the pile of mats in the corner of the room and leaned forward, clutching her lower abdomen that hadn't stopped hurting since she left Georgia. She then lay back on the mats, trying to make herself comfortable. What she needed now was a good rest.

* * *

**_Academy Shuttleport – 1900 H_**

Even though the sun was setting, Arianne spotted a shuttle landing in one of the shuttle bays as she drove the cart she rented to take her father and his crutches back to the houses for Command officers down one of the paths coming from Starfleet Medical. In the passenger's seat, Chris sat upright with a seatbelt holding him in the cart while he held tight to his crutches. Neither of them felt like talking.

"Arianne, could you please drive over to the shuttlebay?" Chris asked in a tired voice. "Perhaps one of the rescue teams have returned with news about Cadet Chekov. I'm really hoping that Pavel's all right."

Arianne nodded, turned the cart on to the path leading to the shuttlebay, and drove towards the large building with the same hope in mind. As they approached the building, however, the doors opened and a tired looking Leonard came out with Cadet Scott, who was holding Leonard's bag over one shoulder.

"Ensign McCoy?" Chris asked, seeing the tiredness in Leonard's eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Leonard sighed tiredly, "I got a notice from Academy Command that I'm supposed to do my MedSim Exam very soon and also do shifts at Starfleet Medical because Puri joined the search party looking for Cadet Chekov," he explained in a tired voice. "I got a shuttle from Atlanta as quickly as I could."

"Is Ensign Kirk with you?" Chris asked in a concerned voice. "Cadet Scott, what are you doing…?"

Cadet Scott sighed, "Aye was taking a shift for some experience," he replied in a worried voice.

Chris nodded, "Ensign McCoy, you should know that I spoke with Academy Command and, due to the situation with Cadet Chekov, we've decided that summer term will run from June until August instead of from May," he explained in a firm voice. "I'm assuming that Ensign Kirk is still in Atlanta?"

"Doctor Kirk said that Jim will need about three more weeks' worth of antibiotic treatments before he's well enough to travel," Leonard replied in a distressed voice. "I didn't want to leave, but Doctor Kirk ordered me to go with the promise that he'd take care of Jim. Captain Pike, shouldn't you be in bed?"

Chris scoffed, "Contrary to popular belief, Ensign McCoy, I am not a helpless old man," he replied in an unamused voice, frowning as Leonard whispered to Cadet Scott and then came closer to the cart.

"As a qualified MD, Captain Pike, I think you should be either at Starfleet Medical or at home resting," Leonard stated in a commanding voice. "I heard you were injured trying to protect Cadet Chekov…"

Nodding, Chris scowled as Leonard took his bag from Cadet Scott and got into the back of the cart, "I'll just accompany you back to your house to make sure you behave," Leonard said in a tired voice.

"All right, Doctor McCoy," Arianne spoke up before her father could object. "I'll get us there soon."

Cadet Scott fought the urge to laugh as Arianne drove the cart off towards the Command houses.

* * *

**_Captain Pike's Residence – 2000 H_**

"Comfortable?" Arianne asked, smiling as she placed a large cup of Vulcan spice tea in her father's hands as he lay on the couch with a pillow behind his back and his casted ankle propped up on another pillow.

Chris sighed and took a sip of the tea, "I have to commend Doctor McCoy for slipping a sedative into my tea without me noticing," he replied as he suddenly began to feel tired. "I'm guessing it was your idea?"

"I'm a Starfleet Counselor and my responsibility is to help see to the mental and emotional well-being of anyone within the Fleet," Arianne replied in a calming voice. "I made a recommendation to Doctor McCoy based on what happened today and he saw fit to ensure that you have a proper rest, Dad."

Chris nodded and quickly passed the cup to Arianne so he wouldn't drop it, "I'm grateful that you care so much about me, you darling child," he said in a tired voice. "I need a promise from you, however…"

"Of course," Arianne replied gently as she crouched beside her father. "What's the promise?"

Chris sighed as he looked up at Arianne, "If Cadet Chekov is found alive, I want you to take him on as a patient and help him through whatever trauma his father will have caused," he stated tiredly. "You can seek the assistance of Cadet McCoy and Cadet Kirk if you want, but Pavel trusts you implicitly…"

"I'm not sure how that's possible," Arianne replied softly. "I haven't spent a lot of time with Pavel."

Chris smiled, "Pavel told me he trusts you," he explained in a sleepy voice. "Will you promise me…?"

"Yes, I'll take Pavel on as a patient _when_ he is found," Arianne replied softly, noticing that her father was about ready to fall asleep because of the fast-acting sedative. "Now go to sleep for a while, okay Dad?"

As Chris allowed his eyes to close, the door chime sounded and Arianne got up. She walked over to the door and when she opened it, she was surprised to see Admiral Archer standing on the step in full uniform with a stylus in one hand and a dog leash, which was attached to Porthos, in the other.

"Admiral Archer, my father's sleeping and will not be disturbed," Arianne spoke before Admiral Archer could even open his mouth. "He's quite exhausted from what happened today with Cadet Chekov…"

Admiral Archer sighed, "I know," he replied in a tired voice as he held out the stylus. "Commander Spock just contacted me and said that the search for Cadet Chekov has been widened to include international Starfleet organizations as well as settlements within the Sol System. From what they've been able to find out, Andrei Chekov is attempting to secure transportation off-planet with Pavel in tow…"

"Nobody declared mentally unstable can access any sort of off-planet transportation without authorization from Starfleet," Arianne said in a confused voice. "How was Andrei able to get a shuttle?"

Admiral Archer shook his head just as Leonard came into the living room holding a cup of tea, "Andrei attempted to get a shuttle at the Montana space port and was denied access because his record was flagged," he explained in a somber voice. "Commander Spock and Starfleet Security caught up to Andrei and Pavel there, but Andrei set off some sort of detonator that allowed him to escape with Pavel."

"So, as far as anyone knows, Andrei and Pavel are still in the States?" Arianne asked, a sudden thought coming to her mind. "Jim's still in Atlanta, Admiral; should I tell Sam to bring him and Eleanora out…?"

Admiral Archer shook his head, "Doctor Sam Kirk contacted Command hours ago to tell us that Cadet Kirk would be in Atlanta until next month and I already sent a detachment of Starfleet Security to the hospital and also out to Eleanora McCoy's residence," he replied, noticing Leonard's worried look. "That was the last update as of 1800 H; I haven't heard from Spock, Puri, or any of the Security officers since then."

"Thanks for the update, Admiral Archer," Arianne said tiredly. "I'll tell my father when he wakes up."

Admiral Archer nodded, "Goodnight, Lieutenant Pike, Doctor McCoy," he said in a tired voice, feeling like he might be interrupting time that Arianne and Leonard were spending together. "Oh, Doctor McCoy, would you mind taking Porthos for a walk tomorrow morning before you go on duty? I've got to get up extra early for a meeting with Academy Command about the upcoming summer semester."

"Of course not, Admiral," Leonard replied obediently even though he wasn't fond of dogs.

Smiling, Admiral Archer moved down the steps and Porthos followed obediently, "Good night," he said in a cheerful voice as he walked off towards his own dwelling with Porthos working hard to keep up.

"Well, I suppose I've got to get going back to my dorm," Leonard replied in an unamused voice. "I know for a fact that Admiral Archer takes his dog for a walk at 0700 and I want to be rested when I take him."

Arianne nodded and gently gave Leonard a hug and a kiss on the cheek, "Goodnight," she replied in a calm voice as she saw him to the door. "I'll stay here with my dad in case he needs anything tonight."

"That sedative will keep Captain Pike asleep all night, so if you're going to stay, you'd better get some rest of your own," Leonard said in a no-nonsense voice as he walked down the steps. "Good night."

Arianne sighed, closed and locked the door, and quietly retreated to the corner of the kitchen where the replicator was, "Vulcan spice tea," she said in a tired voice, smiling as it immediately appeared.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne picked up the cup and sat down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table to relax a bit before turning in early. She slowly sipped the tea in an effort to block out the intense pain.

Once the tea was gone, Arianne pushed the cup forward a bit and laid her head down on the counter.

* * *

_**14 Days Later – Academy Gardens**_

For the first time in a while, the Academy campus was quiet and scarcely filled; most cadets had taken advantage of the sudden break between semesters and were off on small shore leaves all over the world while only Academy Command, select members of Starfleet Command, and senior officers remained.

"I'll be happy when I can get off these crutches," Chris commented, smiling as he hobbled alongside Arianne and watched her drop seeds in a small section of dirt-filled planter boxes that she had created several years ago in memory of Dr. Boyce and all those who had perished in the earthquake of 2253.

Arianne nodded as she continued dropping seeds into the open spaces of dirt, "At least your eyes and ribs are doing better," she replied in a gentle voice, putting the last of the seeds into the last planter. "I didn't think anyone really still carried mace around with them since there's so many other ways to…"

"Some of the countries in the world who are not so friendly with Starfleet yet may resort to primitive methods of attack and defense," Chris explained as an exhausted looking Leonard suddenly came into view wearing his blue Medical uniform and holding a medkit in his hand. "Hello there, Doctor McCoy."

Before Leonard could reply, the normally dormant transporter that sat in the middle of the gardens for emergencies suddenly came to life, "What the heck?" Arianne asked in a shocked voice as she hurried over to the transporter. "Dad, there are three lifeforms awaiting transport from an unknown location."

"_What?!"_ Chris replied in a shocked voice. "Initiate transport immediately; it could be a search team with news…"

Arianne nodded, "Energizing," she replied as she anxiously worked the transporter controls.

Almost immediately, Dr. Puri and Spock materialized on the transporter pad with a very frail, badly beaten, poorly dressed Pavel between them and leaning heavily on both of them. Before anyone could speak, Pavel screamed in agony and promptly collapsed to the transporter pad unconscious. Leonard immediately ran to Dr. Puri's side to help him with Pavel. Spock stepped off the transporter and walked over to where Captain Pike and Arianne were standing with a stoic expression on his face.

"Captain Pike, the Security team is still pursuing Andrei Chekov," Spock reported. "Doctor Puri and I thought it prudent to bring Cadet Chekov back to Academy Campus for immediate treatment as Cadet Chekov has suffered greatly at his captor's hands."

* * *

**_Please read and review!_**


	30. June 2257: Exposed Vulnerability

_**June 2257**_

_**Starfleet Medical – 1100 H**_

An armed Security officer was lingering outside of Pavel's hospital room and he gave Arianne a complimentary nod as she came down the hallway, "Captain Pike's in with the patient now, but you can go in if you want, Lieutenant Pike," he stated in an official tone. "The patient's still non-verbal…"

"Excuse me, Ensign Michaels, but the patient has a name," Arianne snapped, her calm demeanor quickly fading as she glared up at the giant Security officer, not caring that he was armed. "And if you ever discuss someone in need of medical care with such casualness again, you'll wish you hadn't."

Ensign Michaels, who had been one of the few cadets granted the privilege of taking Security shifts on campus during the summer, nodded and quickly tapped the panel that would grant her access.

Arianne sighed and silently entered the hospital room; her father was sitting in a chair next to the hospital bed where Pavel, who was still pale and badly bruised, lay with a short sleeved patient gown covering his body while driplines and electrodes littered his thin arms and hands. There was a stylus on top of the blanket, but Pavel wasn't paying attention to it or to her father; he was staring at the ceiling.

"Pavel, you have a visitor," Chris said, gazing at Pavel with a concerned expression. "It's Arianne."

Pavel was silent for a moment and then looked at Arianne while he lifted one hand to his throat and winced, "Do you have a sore throat, Pavel?" Arianne asked as she took another step towards the bed.

"I vas…strangled," Pavel spoke in a voice barely above a whisper. "I am supposed to…rest…my voice."

Arianne nodded, but didn't come any closer to the bed, "You…you kin sit close if you vant to," Pavel whispered, wincing as he swallowed. "I…am…not afraid…of you…Lieutenant…Pike."

"Of course," Arianne replied as she walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it, "You, of course, probably know that I am here not only as a friend, but also as a Starfleet counselor; right, Pavel?"

Pavel nodded, "If you need me to leave, Lieutenant, I can," Chris said in a gentle voice. "I can go see about getting young Pavel here some food brought to him; I think Pavel would like that, hmm?"

Pavel was about to open his mouth when Chris shook his head, "Doctor McCoy and Doctor Puri will both have fits if you don't rest your vocal cords," he said in a concerned voice as he got to his feet. "Use signals or the stylus to communicate until your throat heals a bit more. Have a nice visit with Arianne and if you really feel a compelling need to vocalize anything, please don't do anything but whisper."

Pavel nodded and was quiet until Chris left the room, "I kannot remember a lot," Pavel whispered as he looked into Arianne's gentle blue eyes. "I remember zat Wulcan professor talking to me and carrying me to a transporter because I could not valk by myself. Doktor Puri and ze professor said it haz been two veeks since I was taken, but I kannot remember anyzing after going shopping vith Keptin Pike…"

"Pavel, it takes time for people to remember things after they've been through traumatic events," Arianne explained in a gentle voice. "My father said you were shopping with him in downtown San Francisco that day, right? Why don't you tell me a little bit about that, if you can remember that?"

Pavel nodded and began typing on the touch-sensitive keyboard that was on the stylus, nodding at Arianne to read it. _The afternoon was sunny and Captain Pike insisted that I have something to wear other than my pajamas and cadet uniform. I protested, but Captain Pike took me off campus and we went to a very nice store that had very nice clothes. Captain Pike was helping me pick out some clothes when Andrei showed up and threatened to kill the staff if we did not leave with him. The staff was frightened and fled, so Andrei immediately tried to take me with him. Captain Pike tried to stop him, so Andrei engaged in a fistfight and ended up spraying Captain Pike with a strange can of something…_

Pavel suddenly sighed and set the stylus on the bed, "I am tired," he whispered. "Can I sleep now?"

"You can do whatever you want, Pavel," Arianne replied warmly as she gently caressed Pavel's hand, being very careful not to jar any of the driplines or electrodes loose. "Just take it easy, all right?"

Pavel nodded and watched as Arianne took the words he had written and saved them in a private file that could only be accessed by her and himself, "When you feel up to talking some more, you tell someone from Starfleet Medical and I'll come visit again," she said in a gentle voice. "Okay?"

"Sank you," Pavel whispered as he sighed deeply and allowed his eyes to close. "I must sleep now."

As Pavel slipped into a deep sleep, the intercom suddenly beeped, "Lieutenant Pike, if you are in the building, please report to the front desk," an automated voice said. "Lieutenant Pike to the front."

Frowning, Arianne sighed and, standing up, she walked over to the door and quietly left the room.

The foyer of Starfleet Medical was almost empty except for a harried-looking receptionist that sat behind the main desk and Jim and Sam, both of whom were sitting in the waiting area. Jim looked tired, but healthy as he fastened the buttons of his cadet jacket and Sam looked calm and almost at home.

"Jim, you're back!" Arianne said in a cheerful voice as she came down the hallway, saw Jim and Sam sitting in the waiting area, and immediately caught Jim in a gentle hug. "You didn't have to page me."

Jim looked confused as he returned the hug, "I didn't have you paged," he replied in a confused voice as they pulled apart. "I didn't even know you were here, to be honest. Sam used some of his vacation days to come back to San Francisco with me because he wanted to see Starfleet Academy and convinced me to get checked out as a precaution; the shuttle ride from Atlanta was long, hot, and very boring."

"If you or Sam didn't have me paged, who did?" Arianne asked in a worried voice. "I just stopped by to do some counseling rounds, but I've got class this afternoon and I don't have a lot of time to waste."

Before Jim or Sam could reply, Leonard walked into view wearing his complete Starfleet Medical uniform, "I had you paged because we need to talk," he said in an unusually serious voice.

"Of course, Doctor McCoy, what can I do for you?" Arianne asked in a gentle, pleasant voice.

Leonard sighed, "I'd prefer if we talked in Doctor Harriman's office," he replied seriously.

"Do you have permission to be in there?" Arianne asked, wondering if Leonard wanted to make out.

Leonard nodded, "Doctor Harriman's on vacation with her husband on the East Coast and she said I could use her office if I needed it," he replied. "We really do need to talk _now_, Lieutenant Pike."

"Jim, how about I meet you and Sam for lunch at the canteen?" Arianne suggested as she turned to face Jim and Sam, signaling to Leonard that he needed to be patient. "Go show Sam your dorm, okay?"

Even though Jim wanted to stay, he nodded and frowned as Arianne followed Leonard down the hall.

* * *

_**Dr. Harriman's Office**_

A large desk sat in the far corner of the room that had a computer on one end of it and a stack of PADDs containing patient files in the other. Pictures of various flora and fauna throughout the world littered the walls except the spaces where two padded chairs and a large couch sat along with a fake plant.

Arianne entered the room first and immediately went into a wall sit on the wall closest to the door since she had been in constant pain for several days. Leonard came in after her and immediately walked over to a small stack of electronic x-ray films that were in a pile on top of a filing cabinet in the other corner.

"Before she went on vacation, Doctor Harriman told me to look after her patients," Leonard explained as he picked up the top film in the pile and activated it. "I was reviewing her patient files and, strangely enough, I found that you had been to see her three days ago about some severe lower abdominal pain…"

Arianne sighed, "Yes," she replied as she slowly stood up. "I think it's because of the endometriosis."

"This scan shows that a lot endometrial tissue has grown, but it can be removed surgically," Leonard explained as he walked over to Arianne and showed her the scan. "There was a note in the exam file that recommended surgery as soon as possible to possibly increase the chances of fertility, but the surgery doesn't have to be done here or even by me; it can be done anywhere and by anyone…"

Arianne was silent for several seconds before swallowing hard, "I want it done here," she replied in a commanding voice as she went back into a wall sit. "How soon can I be booked for the surgery?"

"I'll have to take this scan to Doctor Puri and get him to assign you a surgeon, date, and time," Leonard replied in a concerned voice as he tucked the film under his arm. "He's the Chief Medical Officer…"

Arianne nodded and stood up again, "Do whatever you need to," she said in a tired voice. "If that's all you wanted to talk to me about, Doctor McCoy, I've got to get going to lunch with Jim and Doctor Kirk."

"Arianne, if you're not okay with this, we can talk about your other options," Leonard replied softly.

Arianne shook her head, "I expected this to happen, Leonard," she said in a less than pleasant tone as she hugged herself. "Being exposed to space as a baby caused my disabilities and it also caused the cancer and this other thing; I've done continual research on my conditions since I was old enough to."

"They don't make you any less remarkable," Leonard replied softly as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her close. "If you really want a kid at some point in your life, I'll do whatever I can to medically help you be able to achieve that. I may be your boyfriend, but I am also a good doctor…"

Arianne smiled as she gently placed a hand on Leonard's cheek and caressed it, "Len, I know," she replied in a gentle voice. "You're a good doctor and you're also a very good boyfriend to me."

"Can we have dinner together since you've already promised lunch to Jim?" Leonard asked as they pulled apart. "It's been a long time since you and I have done anything together by ourselves."

Arianne nodded, "If nothing else comes up, we can," she replied calmly. "Now, go back to work."

Leonard nodded and silently left the room, "Lieutenant Pike to Ensign Kirk," Arianne said, pulling out her communicator and holding it to her mouth. "Jim, can we go off campus for a little while? I need to vent."

* * *

_**Golden Gate Park – 1200 H**_

Storm clouds were gathering overhead, but Arianne paid no attention to them as she lay in the grass while Jim sat next to her with his back against a tree, "First the surgery to eliminate the breast cancer and now this," she said in an exasperated voice. "Jim, honestly, I'm not sure how to react to this."

Jim nodded, silently relieved that Sam was off trying to get them all something for lunch so that he and Arianne could have some private time together to talk like they used to, "If you didn't want kids someday, this wouldn't bother you so much," he replied softly. "So, does Bones actually know?"

"Know what?" Arianne asked softly as she lay in the grass, deeply comforted about how cool it was.

Jim sighed, "That you're in love with him?" he asked smugly. "Why else would you react so strongly about the endometriosis in front of him, Arianne? You love Bones and you're also scared to be."

"I think Leonard's afraid to let anyone really love him," Arianne replied softly as she sat up and looked at Jim with a compassionate expression on her face. "He keeps everyone at a distance, even you and I."

Jim nodded, "I'm kind of the same way with everyone else but you," he said in a soft voice as he suddenly looked thoughtful. "I talked about that a little bit with Amanda when she visited with me in Atlanta and she suggested that I talk to a counselor on campus and maybe see if there are any meetings for adult survivors of domestic abuse or childhood violence available in the area. We talked about Tarsus and also the crap that happened with Frank. I don't even want to tell Bones about Frank, Arianne."

"You don't have to, but Leonard would still be your friend even if you did," Arianne replied softly as she hugged her knees. "Also, Jim, you can't solve every problem with trips to the bottom of a bottle…"

Jim sighed and offered a sad smile, "Yeah, I know," he replied somberly. "Maybe I should ask Bones if I can tag along with him to one of the AA meetings that Doctor Piper runs in the city. It might help."

Arianne scooted over to the tree and was unsurprised when Jim leaned against her, "Arianne, you are so lucky to have Captain Pike as a dad," he commented softly. "He didn't beat you when you screwed up."

"You can share my dad if you want," Arianne replied gently. "He already sees you as like a son to him."

Jim smiled, but before he could reply, Sam came walking down the path holding a small tray holding three plastic drinks, "Sorry Jim, I couldn't find anything you weren't allergic to," Sam commented as he walked across the grass. "I went to a small downtown grocery store and here's some lemonade…"

Nodding, Jim took the lemonade and immediately sipped it, "What's in it?" Arianne asked worriedly.

"It's just flavored water," Sam replied gently. "I know Jim can't have actual lemonade, don't worry."

Jim nodded and began sipping the lemonade, "So, Doctor Kirk, what do you think of San Francisco so far?" Arianne asked in a pleasant voice, ignoring the fact that Sam was also offering her a lemonade.

"I think it's nice and I'd stay out here to visit with Jim longer if I wasn't at the tail end of my internship," Sam replied as he set the bottle of lemon flavored water at Arianne's feet. "Sadly, I have to get back to Atlanta tomorrow and start prepping for my boards that I need to pass to advance to my residency."

Arianne sighed and checked her watch, "Ah, speaking of studying, I have to get back to campus if I'm going to make Advanced Diplomacy on time," she said in an apologetic voice as she stood up.

"No Command or Medical cadet is required to take that class," Jim replied in a confused voice.

Arianne scoffed, "It was recommended by my counselor," she replied in a slightly disgruntled voice as she swept the grass off of her cadet uniform. "It seems I need to improve my social skills somewhat."

"You seem perfectly sociable to me," Sam commented in an amused voice. "Why would you…?"

Arianne bit her lip, "Jim, you can tell Sam about my disabilities if you want, but I don't have the time or desire to talk about it," she replied in a semi-irritated voice. "I'll see you back on campus, all right Jim?"

"Okay," Jim replied, sighing softly as Arianne walked off across the grass towards the bus stop.

* * *

"Welcome to Advanced Diplomacy," Spock stated tonelessly. "I am Commander Spock."

Arianne sighed as the chronometer on her study stylus switched to 0100, "This class is a combination of lectures and exercises designed to provide you opportunity in which to learn social graces essential for specific roles within Starfleet," Spock stated in a toneless voice. "As this is not part of the standard curriculum, I only offer this course during the summer semesters and I expect a complete effort…"

The entire room was silent as Spock turned, walked to his desk, and picked up a stack of styluses before moving over to the rows of desks, "Here is the required text for this class," he stated as he handed the stack to Hikaru, who was sitting in the front row, "Please take one from the pile and pass it up the rows until each student has one. Even though this class is very small, we will cover a lot of material…"

"Excuse me, sir," Hikaru spoke as he raised his hand. "I'm supposed to take one for Cadet Chekov too…"

Spock was silent for a moment and nodded, "You may have two texts, Cadet Sulu," he replied tonelessly. "I will contact Cadet Chekov this evening with further instruction as how to keep up with the work."

Hikaru nodded and after taking two styluses, he passed the stack on across the row. When Arianne got a hold of the stack, she took one and passed it on. From what she knew, the class consisted of her, Hikaru, Pavel, Mitchell, and several other cadets who were staying on campus for the summer term.

"This first class will consist of a lecture on why social graces are essential in order to be successful in an organization such as Starfleet," Spock stated as he walked to his desk and picked up his own stylus. "The content of the lecture can be found in the introductory part of the text, but I encourage you to listen."

Casting his eyes around at the class, Spock tapped a few buttons on his stylus and cleared his throat, expecting all eyes to be at the front. As he began to read, however, Arianne pretended to focus while her mind wandered to thoughts of her upcoming surgery; would such a surgery really be effective?

* * *

"Lieutenant Pike?"

Arianne looked up from her stylus to find Spock standing at her desk, "Oh, Professor Spock, would you like me to read a section?" she asked in a distant voice. "I was just lost in some personal thoughts."

"I suspected as much," Spock replied tonelessly. "Lieutenant, class has been over for half an hour."

Arianne looked at the chronometer and was shocked when she saw that it was 1530, "Oh, Professor Spock, I apologize for not paying attention," she said in an apologetic voice. "Things on my mind…"

Spock nodded and silently took a seat next to Arianne, "Would you care to elaborate since I serve in a dual role as your professor and counselor?" he asked in a softer voice. "I am capable of listening."

"I don't think I can get into this right now," Arianne replied softly as her stomach suddenly growled.

Spock raised an eyebrow, "How long has it been since you consumed anything with significant nutritional value?" he asked in an unusually concerned voice. "Food is essential for functioning."

"I haven't eaten since breakfast," Arianne replied softly, knowing she couldn't lie to Spock. "I just found out some troubling news about my health and it's preoccupied me to the point where I am unfocused."

Spock sighed and stood up, "I think it prudent to continue this meeting in my office where I will order both of us something with nutritional value," he stated tonelessly. "Starving yourself is illogical."

"Okay," Arianne replied softly as she got to her feet. "Won't Nyota accuse us of inappropriate…?"

Spock looked thoughtful for a moment and then began to walk towards the lower exit, "Nyota is currently in Africa visiting her family," he replied tonelessly. "Besides, I do not believe that she will antagonize you further, as I have made it clear that such behavior is inappropriate to engage in."

Even though she had her doubts, Arianne nodded and silently followed Spock out of the classroom.

Due to the summer semester being less intense, the campus was surprisingly empty and Arianne found that the walk from the classroom to the Command Building was surprisingly short. It took little time to get to Commander Spock's office and Arianne immediately sat down in the visitor's chair.

Spock, however, said nothing as he walked over to the replicator and began inputting commands with relative ease for several minutes before he brought a small bowl of stew over to Arianne and gave it to her before retreating to his desk to eat his own. Arianne sighed and slowly began to eat her stew.

Suddenly, Arianne's communicator beeped, "Starfleet Medical to Lieutenant Pike," a voice said.

Frowning, Arianne set the bowl down on the desk and took out her communicator, "Yes?" she asked.

"You're needed at Starfleet Medical immediately," a worried voice spoke. "There is a problem."

Arianne sighed and slowly stood up, "I apologize for the interruption, but I am needed at Starfleet Medical," she replied in a distressed voice. "Can we perhaps continue this discussion later?"

"That would be agreeable," Spock replied tonelessly as Arianne hurried to the door and left the room.

* * *

Starfleet Medical – 1630

Leonard and Dr. Puri were standing in the foyer at the front desk when Arianne entered Starfleet Medical, "You summoned me?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Has something happened?"

Before Leonard or Dr. Puri could reply, Captain Pike and an upset Jim came down the hallway, "Jim, what happened to you?!" Arianne asked in a concerned voice. "I thought you were visiting with Sam?"

"Sam and I got into a fight and he's still downtown," Jim replied in an upset voice. "I needed to talk to someone, so I came here and ran into Captain Pike. Anyway, I'm not really in the best mood…"

Arianne nodded and Dr. Puri cleared his throat, "If you have a moment, Lieutenant Pike, I would like to speak with you privately," he said in a serious voice. "Doctor McCoy, you're off duty for tonight."

"Wait, why do you need to speak with Arianne?" Jim asked in a concerned voice. "Is she sick?"

Captain Pike frowned, "Do I need to cancel my trip to the Orbital Shipyard?" he asked worriedly.

Arianne suddenly felt very overwhelmed and silently walked off down the hallway with her hands covering her face so that nobody would see the tears falling from her eyes. She quickly disappeared into an empty exam room and cried openly as she retreated to the empty exam bed and sat on top of it.

For several minutes, Arianne sat in the exam room crying quietly and she only looked up when the door suddenly slid open, "Arianne, I'm sorry," she heard her father say in a somber voice. "I panicked unnecessarily and I embarrassed you in front of Doctor Puri, Doctor McCoy, and Ensign Kirk."

"I have to have more endometrial surgery, Daddy" Arianne replied, drying her tears on the sleeve of her cadet uniform as she looked at her father. "I went and saw Doctor Harriman three about the pain I've been having for the last several weeks and she did some scans. Doctor McCoy apparently took over Doctor Harriman's patients because she went on vacation and Doctor McCoy found my scan…"

Chris nodded, but didn't speak, "There's endometrial tissue that have cysts in them," Arianne replied softly as the door slid open and Leonard quietly slipped into the room. "Oh, Doctor McCoy, what…?"

"Doctor Puri scheduled you for tomorrow," Leonard replied somberly. "If that's too soon, I can…"

Arianne shook her head, "What time?" she asked softly. "I need to inform Professor Spock that I'll be absent from class tomorrow and also put in a request for medical downtime from my counseling…"

"You need to be here for pre-op stuff at 0500," Leonard replied softly. "You'll get more information then, but I'm just getting off duty so I think I'm going to go off campus to Doctor Piper's AA meeting tonight and I'll grab some dinner before I come back. Captain Pike, can I have an off campus pass?"

Chris nodded, "I'll authorize it with Security only if you take Ensign Kirk with you," he replied firmly.

"I'd like to take Arianne along for support too, if that's okay," Leonard said, giving Arianne a look that indicated that he really wanted to give her a chance to relax. "We're allowed supports at the…"

Chris sighed, "No eating or drinking after midnight, Arianne," he replied in a calm voice, nodding at Arianne that she should go with Jim and Leonard tonight. "Please be safe out there, okay?"

"I love you, Daddy," Arianne whispered as she stood up and gave Chris a hug. "I really do."

Chris smiled and returned the hug, "I'll postpone my trip for a couple of days just to help you get through the surgery, but I'll still go to the Orbital Shipyard," he replied softly as they pulled apart. "I have to go see how the Enterprise is coming along and familiarize myself with the layout…"

"AA's at 6," Leonard commented as he checked his watch. "If we're gonna have time to change into civvies and eat somewhere before the meeting, we should think about making tracks. I don't like wearing my cadet uniform off campus if I can help it because then I get watched a lot, but you…"

Arianne nodded, "I'll change into civvies," she replied gently, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable.

"Have a good evening," Chris said in a pleasant voice. "I think I'm going to go visit Cadet Chekov before I go back to my office and do some work. Try and get some rest for the surgery tomorrow if you can."

Arianne smiled at her father and left the room with Leonard. Chris waited a moment and then left the room. As he passed the foyer, he could see Leonard and Arianne talking to Jim and Dr. Puri. Dr. Puri nodded and went off towards the administration offices while Chris continued towards Pavel's room.

* * *

_**San Francisco Bayside Community Center – 0600**_

Arianne saw several people sitting on chairs that were in a circle in the middle of the room and a table containing a coffee machine, Styrofoam cups, and a box of donuts in the far right corner. Leonard immediately made a beeline for the coffee, but Jim silently wandered over to the furthest corner of the room and went into a wall sit with no expression on his face. He was still angry over Sam's departure.

During the dinner they had shared at a small diner not far from the center, Jim had admitted his desire to go out and get plastered and Leonard had talked him into coming to the meeting to vent his feelings, but Jim had immediately asked Arianne if she was coming. Arianne had replied that she was and then she had told him about the endometriosis surgery she was having the next day and Jim had promised to not only start attending AA regularly if he liked it, he had also promised that he would be there for her.

Soft chattering filled the room as Dr. Piper came into the room holding a large box that held extra manuals, AA literature, and plaques with encouraging words written on them. He immediately noticed Jim hiding in the corner and handed the box to one of the others before silently walking over to Jim.

Arianne watched silently as Dr. Piper exchanged a few words with Jim and Jim offered a quiet reply, but didn't move from his spot. Dr. Piper nodded, said a few more things, and then moved over to the circle and set up a large chart that listed a greeting and each of the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

"Welcome to Alcoholics Anonymous," Dr. Piper said in a pleasant voice. "My name is Mark, I'm a recovering alcoholic who has been sober nearly 29 years, and it's nice to meet you all."

There were murmurs of greeting as Leonard joined the circle with a full cup of coffee in hand, "Let us open the meeting with a moment of silence to do with as you wish," Dr. Piper stated in a calm voice.

As Leonard and many of the other attendees bowed their heads in silent reflection, Arianne gazed over at Jim and was alarmed to see Jim's eyes filling with tears, "Now, let us recite the Serenity Prayer," Dr. Piper stated in a calm voice. "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and, wisdom to know the difference. Who would like to read the introduction?"

Leonard quickly grabbed a book out of the box and raised his hand with his thumb in the correct page, "Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism," he said in a toneless voice as Dr. Piper nodded at him. "The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety."

"Thank you," Dr. Piper replied, giving Leonard an encouraging smile. "Let's recite the steps, okay?"

As everyone recited the Twelve Steps, Jim straightened up and slowly moved over to Arianne, "I'm outta here," he whispered in an anxious voice. "I can't open up to all these strangers about my problems."

"Are there any newcomers?" Dr. Piper asked pleasantly, his eyes on both Arianne and Jim.

Arianne sighed, "I'm Arianne and I came as a support for my friends," she replied, knowing that Jim wouldn't talk unless she did. "I've never been addicted to anything, but I have been forcibly injected with illegal alien substances at various points in my life by sick idiots who had nothing better to do."

There was some murmuring and all eyes immediately drifted to Jim, who was lingering near the table to grab a donut before he left, "I'm Jim," he said tonelessly. "I honestly have had a really bad day and I don't know why I'm here, so I'm just gonna grab a donut and get out of here as fast as I can."

"What's been bad about your day, Jim?" Dr. Piper asked, noticing that Leonard was giving Jim a worried look. "Why don't you grab a donut and vent a bit before you leave for the night? It might help."

Jim paused for a moment and then took a donut from the box, "Well, my brother came for a visit and we were getting along great until he mentioned that he was getting married in August and that Winona said she'd come to the wedding only if I wasn't there," he said in a frustrated and bitter voice. "I asked Sam how he felt about that and he was flustered by it, so I told him where to go and left him in the park while I went back to the Academy. Now that I'm here, I just feel very lost and like a scared little kid."

"I see," Dr. Piper replied in a neutral tone, silently concerned for Jim. "Anything else you wanna share?"

Jim shook his head and remained next to the table, "Does anyone else want to share?" Dr. Piper asked.

To Jim and Arianne's surprise, Leonard stood up, "I'm Leonard and I've been clean and sober since the middle of September 2255," Leonard stated bluntly. "I've never shared at an actual meeting before, but my girlfriend's going in for surgery tomorrow and my best friend's having a rough day and I'm scared…"

As Leonard continued talking, Arianne went over to the donut box and picked up a donut that was filled with cream and decorated with sprinkles. Jim gave her a surprised look, but made no comment about it.

The rest of the meeting passed in a blur for Arianne as she ate the donut and suddenly found memories of traumatic experiences from both her youth and adulthood flooding through her already tired mind.

* * *

"Arianne?"

A hand came down on top of hers, "Arianne, the meeting's over," Leonard's gentle voice whispered.

"I got lost in thought while you were talking and I guess I lost track of time," Arianne replied as she turned away from the table and saw that all the chairs were empty. "Leonard, where's Jim?"

Leonard sighed, "Near the end of the meeting, Jim left the room and Doctor Piper followed after him to make sure he didn't do anything stupid," he replied softly, showing her his watch. "It's 20:00 H."

"I'm sorry, Mark, I didn't mean to get so angry," Jim's voice spoke in a remorseful voice as the door suddenly opened and Dr. Piper and Jim came back into the room. "It's just been a hard day."

Dr. Piper nodded and gestured to the chairs, "If you want to blow off some steam, Jim, why don't you help me clean up the room?" he suggested gently. "It usually takes me about 45 minutes to put everything away when I have to clean it up by myself, but if you helped me, I bet it would go a whole lot faster."

"Yeah, okay," Jim replied in a toneless voice as he moved over to the chairs. "I'll stack the chairs."

Arianne moved to help, but Leonard gently touched her arm, "Just take it easy," he said softly.

Swallowing hard, Arianne silently watched as Leonard moved to help Jim and Dr. Piper clean up; she was feeling anxious about the surgery the next morning and had to fight hard to keep herself from crying.

* * *

Starfleet Medical – 0530

"You didn't have to come, Jim," Arianne said in a pleasant voice as she sat down on the biobed in nothing but a patient gown and hospital slippers. "I know that you've never really been a morning person."

Jim yawned and rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans, "I came so you wouldn't be so nervous and so Captain Pike didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn," he replied tiredly. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous," Arianne replied softly as Jim sat down on the bed next to her. "What if they have to do a hysterectomy because there's too much crap inside of me, Jim? I want children someday and..."

Jim sighed and gently tied the straps on the top of Arianne's gown, "Adoption's always an option or you could work with alien kids on some faraway planet," he replied gently. "You forgot to tie the straps."

"Thank you," Arianne said in a soft voice as she looked at him fondly as the door opened and a nurse came into the room holding a medical kit in one hand and an IV bag in the other. "Pre-op stuff?"

The nurse nodded, "Lie back and relax your arm," she replied in a soft voice. "Don't forget to cover up."

Arianne sighed wearily and lay down on the gurney, "Here, I'll do it," Jim said in a gentle voice as he carefully covered her trembling body with the blanket and gently took hold of her right arm. "Relax."

Even though she hated needles, Arianne sighed and only winced briefly as the needle entered her arm, "There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Jim asked gently as he released her arm. "Arianne, the IV's all in."

"I hate needles," Arianne replied in an anxious whisper as the door opened and a tired looking Chris came into the room in his Instructor uniform with a small bag over one shoulder. "Dad, what are you…?"

Chris sighed, "I'll get more sleep while you're in surgery," he replied tiredly. "You're my daughter…"

"Should I go?" Jim asked tiredly, not wanting to be a burden on anyone. "If you two need to talk…"

Chris shook his head, "James, you're fine," he replied tiredly as another nurse came into the room.

"We're supposed to take Lieutenant Pike to pre-op," the nurse said in a terse voice. "Right now."

Jim gently patted Arianne's hand and moved away from the bed, "Just relax," Chris gently said.

Arianne nodded and kept quiet as the nurses detached the gurney from the wall and slowly, but surely pushed it out of the small hospital room. Chris sighed and gazed at Jim, who looked very scared.

"Ensign Kirk, let's take a walk," Chris said in a gentle voice. "I think we both need a distraction."

* * *

Surgical Bay – 0700

After being given another scan, vitals checks, and consent forms to sign while waiting in pre-op, Arianne was taken into the surgical bay and was allowed to move from the gurney to the operating table by herself. As she lay there, trying not to let the cold metal irritate her back too much, she heard soft talking.

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne gazed up at the ceiling, "Hello, Lieutenant Pike," Phlox said in a pleasant voice as he came up to the table in his surgical outfit. "I thought I'd come talk to you before the surgery."

Suddenly, there were shouting noises coming from the hallway and to Arianne, it sounded like Leonard and Dr. Puri were engaged in some sort of argument, "Doctor Phlox, I'm glad you're the one operating on me," she said, focusing her attention back on the Denobulan. "I'm just so nervous about the surgery…"

"I'm merely assisting," Phlox replied gently, smiling down at Arianne. "It's Starfleet protocol."

Arianne sighed as Leonard approached the bed in a surgical outfit, "Hey," Leonard said in a calm, compassion-filled voice. "Doctor Puri was gonna do the surgery, but he got called into a conference call about the Enterprise Sickbay at the last minute, so he ordered me to take it and Phlox to assist me."

"Okay," Arianne replied softly, trying to show that she was calm even though she was terrified.

Leonard nodded, "You'll be fully anesthetized for the procedure and there'll also be a breathing tube down your throat," he explained in a gentle voice. "When you wake up afterwards, your legs will be in a stasis field just to give your body time to heal and you'll probably feel tired and nauseous for a while."

"Is everything ready?" Arianne asked softly, just wanting to get the surgery done and over with.

Leonard sighed, "Yeah," he replied as he picked up a small needle from a surgical tray. "I'm gonna slip this into your IV and a nurse will cover you with a drape. When you start to feel sleepy, don't fight it."

Arianne nodded and was quiet for several minutes until she suddenly began to feel tired, "Sterile drape," she heard Leonard say in a commanding voice as her vision began to blur. "Nurse, prep a catheter…"

* * *

_**Patient Room - 0900**_

The hospital room door slid open and Pavel opened his eyes to find Chris and Jim standing in his room, "Keptin, I apologize," he spoke in a quiet voice. "I vas supposed to be awake an hour ago, but…"

"Pavel, it's nine o clock in the morning," Chris replied calmly as he walked over to the bed. "Pavel, this is Jim Kirk, a student in the Command track. Jim, this is Pavel Chekov; he's in the Operations track…"

Jim nodded, "Yeah, I know you," he replied worriedly, gazing at Pavel. "Are you sick or something?"

"I vas kidnapped last month by my fazzer," Pavel replied nervously. "I kint remember any of eet."

Jim suddenly looked compassionate, "I'm sorry to hear that," he said softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired and wery hungry," Pavel replied, flinching as he moved his hand. "My hand eez sore."

Chris frowned and gently took hold of Pavel's left hand, "How'd you get this bruise?" he asked in a concerned voice as Pavel cringed. "Did you have a bad dream last night and whack the bed rail?"

"A nightmare," Pavel replied softly, gazing down at his blanket in embarrassment. "It vas bad…"

Chris nodded, "Can you move your hand and fingers?" he asked in a gentle, but concerned voice.

Pavel did so without difficulty, "It's probably just a bruise, but I want Doctor Puri to look at it when he's done with his conference call," Chris stated calmly. "Ensign Kirk and I brought you some breakfast."

Jim sighed and slowly walked over to the bed carrying a tray filled with a small bowl of yogurt, a cup of apple juice, a plate of unbuttered toast, and some cutlery, "Now, Pavel, I know it will take you some time to eat that, but I want you to try," Chris stated gently. "Jim will help you while I go do some work."

Before Jim or Pavel could reply, Chris left the room, "Vhere is Counselor Pike?" Pavel asked in a nervous voice as Jim placed the tray on the portable table that was attached to the table. "She usually does zis."

"Arianne's having surgery," Jim replied softly, figuring it wouldn't hurt to give Pavel enough information to make the younger man comfortable enough to eat. "She'll be good as new in a few days, don't…"

Pavel nodded, "She told me zat was today," he interrupted softly. "I didn't know zat it was zis early."

"Captain Pike will kill me if you don't eat, Pavel," Jim replied nervously. "Can you please do that?"

Raising an eyebrow at Jim's sudden nervousness, Pavel nodded, "Da," he replied softly. "After zat, I vill make a get well card for Counselor Pike because she is wery kind and compassionate to help me."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Jim replied tonelessly. "Now, should I feed you or can you eat?"

Pavel replied by picking up the spoon, putting it in the yogurt, and slowly feeding himself a bite of yogurt with a nervous expression on his face, "Zis will take hours to eat," he whispered in a nervous voice.

Even though he wanted to go pester Leonard for news on Arianne, Jim nodded, "I'm patient," he replied, trying to use the same tactics on Pavel that Dr. Piper had used on him the other night.

* * *

_**Recovery Bay – 1000 H**_

Cold, pain, and nausea were the first feelings that came to Arianne's body as she slowly came back to awareness and realized that she was restrained to the bed by a stasis field. She slowly lifted her right hand and felt around for the bed's control panel, but she suddenly felt a calloused hand cover it.

"That's enough of that, Lieutenant Pike," Arianne heard a gentle voice with a Southern drawl say.

Arianne sighed as she opened her eyes and saw Leonard standing at her bedside with his hand over hers, "The stasis field will come off before you're moved to a room if you behave," he explained in a gentle voice as he looked up at the overhead monitor and then down at her. "How do you feel?"

"Cold, sore, and nauseous," Arianne replied groggily. "Please just tell me how the surgery went."

Leonard sighed, "I won't lie in saying that you did have a fair amount of endometrial tissue, but I managed to get it all out with lasers," he replied, gently releasing her hand. "It was a laprascopic procedure and thankfully, there were no cysts that the laser couldn't take out."

"Is having a child possible for me?" Arianne asked groggily, fear in her voice. "I want to be a mom."

Leonard nodded, "It is," he replied gently. "But you should probably finish the Academy first."

"I plan to," Arianne said in a groggy voice as a blast of nausea suddenly hit her. "Uh oh…"

Leonard frowned, quickly held a small bedpan in front of Arianne's face, and remained quiet as she puked the contents of her stomach into it, "You'll be in here for at least another hour before you're moved to a regular patient room for the night," he explained as he took the bedpan away. "I'll check on you a little later, but I won't be available this afternoon because Doctor Puri enrolled me in a class…"

Arianne sighed sleepily and closed her eyes, "Anyway, I should go clean this out," she heard Leonard say in a compassionate voice as she felt him caress her hand. "Don't try and deactivate the field again."

"Whatever," Arianne mumbled, drifting off into a deep sleep as she heard Leonard leave the room.

* * *

"…Jon, will you please settle down? I'm sure McCoy didn't mean to talk to you like that…"

Arianne let out a quiet moan at the voice, but she didn't open her eyes, "Jon, for heaven's sake," she heard her father say in an exasperated tone. "Look, Jon, I've got to go; Arianne's waking up again."

"Dad?" Arianne asked as she slowly opened her eyes and saw that her father was standing near the door to her hospital room with his personal cell-phone to his ear. "What time is it? I feel really tired."

Chris sighed as he hung up the phone, "Almost dinnertime, sweetheart," he replied as he pocketed the phone and walked over to the bed. "You were sleeping so peacefully that Doctor McCoy thought it best not to wake you unnecessarily when you were moved to a room. How are you feeling, Arianne?"

"I must be on some pretty good drugs since I'm not sore," Arianne replied groggily. "When can I eat?"

Chris chuckled softly and held up a small plastic cup that was filled with water, "Doctor McCoy said that you should try to keep water down first and if it can stay down for two hours, then you can have a little bit of soft food like yogurt or applesauce," he replied gently. "Unfortunately, Doctor McCoy won't be back at Starfleet Medical until morning because he got assigned evening kitchen duty and midnight PT by Admiral Archer for not being able to complete today's assignment in Commander Spock's class."

"What was the assignment?" Arianne asked groggily. "I can't imagine Leonard not completing work."

Chris sighed and suddenly looked somber, "It was how to use traumatic events in one's own life to be able to empathize with someone else in a similar situation," he explained softly. "Being able to empathize with others is a valuable trait for any type of commanding officer to learn and practice."

Arianne nodded, but didn't say anything; she knew that it had been difficult for Leonard to even talk to Dr. Piper or her about any of his pre-Academy or Academy life, but he obviously needed more help.

"Anyway, that's enough about Doctor McCoy," Chris stated as he handed the cup to Arianne. "Drink."

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne slowly drank the water and handed the empty cup back to her father, "Does Spock know my reason for missing class?" she asked groggily. "I'll be expected to make up…"

"Spock knows," Chris replied calmly as he patted her IV-laden hand. "He'll send you make up work."

Arianne yawned, "Sorry," she commented in a groggy voice. "I'm just really, really tired right now."

"It's all right, Arianne," Chris said in a gentle voice. "I've got work to do; you just get some rest."

Arianne nodded and slowly fell into a deep slumber just as the door slid open, "Captain Pike, am I disturbing Lieutenant Pike's rest?" Spock asked softly as he entered the room. "I just came from the canteen and while there, I discovered that Ensign Kirk has joined Ensign McCoy for kitchen duty…"

"It's fine, Spock," Chris replied gently, figuring that Jim would stick close to Leonard. "Arianne's asleep, so why don't you and I go get some coffee? She'll be back in your class after a week of recovery…"

Spock nodded, "I confess to being concerned over the surgery went," he confessed quietly. "I do not want this information…"

"Spock, relax, your secret's safe with me," Chris said in a reassuring voice as he and Spock left the room. "Come on."

* * *

_**Please read and review so that I feel motivated to continue this story.**_


	31. July 2257: Coming To The Surface

_**July 2257**_

_**Starfleet Medical – Mental Health Wing - 0700**_

"…So, Lara, tell me about how your vacation with John went." Arianne said in a pleasant voice as she sat down on the couch opposite from where Lara was sitting in a medical uniform with a cup of tea in her hands. "I heard that you and him went to the East Coast for a few weeks; what exactly did you do?"

Lara chuckled, "Yes, John and I did go to the East Coast for a little while and we actually made a stop in Riverside, Iowa where a Kelvin Memorial dedicated to George Kirk was," she replied in a gentle voice. "I thought it time to let go of the past and what better way to do that then to reflect on what was lost?"

"I've done plenty of that myself, so I understand the need for it," Arianne replied gently. "You've been progressing so well since I first met you and you took this step on your own, Lara. You are healing…"

Suddenly, there was a loud beep, "Doctor Harriman to the Medical Wing," an automated voice said.

"I'm sorry, Arianne, can we continue this later?" Lara asked in an apologetic voice as she got to her feet.

Arianne nodded and stood up, "I've got to go and do some paperwork before class anyway," she replied in a gentle voice. "Admiral Barnett is holding a July fourth barbecue after class and I was wondering if you and Commander Harriman were planning to attend; it's for all those who are still on campus."

"Lieutenant Pike to the Medical Wing," an automated voice suddenly said as another beep sounded.

Arianne sighed, "Looks like that your paperwork will have to wait until later, Lieutenant," Lara stated in a sympathetic voice as they left the office and walked down the hallway. "You're needed for other work."

"It feels nice to be needed even though it's summer," Arianne commented as she followed after Lara.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical – Medical Wing**_

Arianne frowned as she and Lara came into the foyer and saw Captain Pike and Jim standing near a chair where Leonard was sitting in shorts and a t-shirt with his eyes closed and a hand over his abdomen. His eyes were closed and beads of sweat were on his forehead, but he made no effort to move.

"Doctor Harriman, there's a bit of a problem," Jim commented worriedly as he saw Lara and Arianne.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Lara smirked, "Very astute, Ensign Kirk," she replied in an amused voice. "If Doctor McCoy is sick, why isn't he on a biobed in the patient bay being examined?"

"Bones woke up with a stomachache and started puking his guts out," Jim explained in a worried voice, not taking his eyes off of Leonard. "I told him he needed to go to Starfleet Medical and he snapped at me and said he wasn't going to be made a guinea pig of on another hard, cold operating table…"

Arianne frowned, "Our three month captivity," she whispered softly. "Didn't he ever get help?"

"What are you talking about, Lieutenant?" Chris asked, frowning at Arianne's quiet words.

Not wanting to talk about her suspicions in front of Leonard, Arianne shook her head and turned her attention to Leonard, "Len, wake up," she whispered gently. "Can you talk to Doctor Harriman for me?"

"Hmm?" Leonard asked groggily as he opened his eyes and saw Chris, Jim, Lara, and Arianne. "I told Jim to let me rest because it was just muscle strain from too much midnight PT, but then I threw up," he explained in a weak voice. "Jim freaked out and called for a medi-shuttle since I couldn't even leave my bed and he also called Captain Pike. I'm a little fuzzy on the details until I got into the foyer…"

Jim's eyes widened, "Bones, are you serious?" he asked worriedly. "You passed out in the shuttle and the monitors were going crazy for a few minutes. When we arrived here, you woke up confused."

Leonard frowned, "What?" he asked in a confused voice as pain filled his body. "My stomach…"

"Let me see," Lara said in a gentle voice as she came forward and frowned when Leonard tensed at her being so close to him. "Doctor McCoy, I need you to relax so I can examine you and figure out…"

Leonard sighed, "I don't want any more surgery," he whispered in a pained voice. "2256 was enough…"

Chris suddenly turned very pale, "Doctor Harriman, I need to go contact Admiral Archer for a moment," he said in an unusually uneasy voice. "Let me know when you've diagnosed Doctor McCoy…"

"Len, please, will you let Doctor Harriman look at you if Jim and I stay with you during the exam?" Arianne asked softly as she sat next to Leonard. "You're sick and you need to be examined."

Leonard managed a weak nod, but didn't speak, "Okay," Lara said in a gentle voice as she opened her medkit and pulled out a small syringe with a vial on the end of it. "Blood sample first, then vitals."

"Okay," Leonard whispered as he extended a trembling hand towards Arianne. "If you have to."

Arianne gently took Leonard's hand and gave it a squeeze, reassuring him that he was not alone.

* * *

**_Exam Room – 0800_**

Arianne sighed as Leonard, who had changed from his pajamas into a patient gown with Jim's help, laid back on the exam bed, "I feel terrible," Leonard whispered as he closed his eyes. "My stomach…"

"How much midnight PT have you had to do, Leonard?" Arianne asked softly. "One day couldn't have…"

Leonard sighed, "I got a whole month of evening kitchen duty and midnight PT from Admiral Archer," he explained in a pained voice as he opened his eyes and looked at her. "Jim, being Jim, sassed off to Admiral Archer by calling him a sadistic old man and got the same penalty so I wouldn't be alone."

Before Arianne could reply, the door opened and Lara came into the room with Jim, "Doctor McCoy, I've got my results from the blood I took from you in the foyer plus the ultrasound I did half an hour ago," she said in a gentle voice as she walked over to the bed. "How long has it been since you ate?"

"Last night at dinner," Leonard replied weakly, ignoring the shocked look Jim was giving him. "Why?"

Lara sighed, "When you woke up this morning, how were you feeling?" she asked in a worried voice.

"Really warm," Leonard replied weakly. "Do you think the pain could be appendicitis, Doctor Harriman?"

Lara nodded and Leonard cringed, "I already contacted Doctor Puri and he's given me the go-ahead to get you in for surgery today," she explained in a gentle voice. "He's at the Command Building…"

"My mom can't afford to get out here, so I listed Captain Pike as my emergency contact on my medical records when I joined the Academy," Leonard stated in a pained voice. "I don't want any surgery."

Arianne frowned, "Len, listen to me," she whispered gently. "Appendicitis is a very serious thing…"

Leonard grimaced as he tried to sit up, "The last time I had surgery performed on me, it was so you wouldn't be harmed or killed," he replied in a distressed voice as he winced. "I don't need to…"

The door suddenly opened, "Ensign McCoy, I suggest you lie back down right now," Chris said in a commanding voice as he came into the exam room looking very serious. "I just got off the comm-link with your mother and she said that your father died from complications of undiagnosed…"

"Enough!" Leonard said in as irritated a voice as he could muster. "I'll have the surgery; just don't…"

Lara nodded, "I'll arrange it," she replied, smiling at Captain Pike as she quickly left the exam room.

"Bones, settle down," Jim said in a worried voice. "What did you mean about letting surgery be…"

Chris suddenly held up a hand, "This isn't the time or place for that discussion, Jim," he said in a no-nonsense voice. "Arianne, I want you and Jim to go visit Pavel for a while; he's been undergoing deprogramming and physical therapy in the mental health wing since last week since he's now physically able to handle it. However, since it's the fourth, a lot of the mental health specialists are on leave to celebrate with their families, Pavel's still in his room with no plans with which to keep himself busy."

"Jim, I'm sorry you got beat up last April," Leonard suddenly whispered. "I was so stupid…"

Frowning, Jim looked to Captain Pike warily, but Captain Pike nodded at him to go with it, "It's fine, Bones," Jim said in as calming a voice as he could manage. "I'm sorry I punched you in the jaw."

Leonard's eyes softened and he slowly allowed them to close, "What happened?" Jim asked worriedly.

"Closing his eyes is Leonard's way of saying that he's in a lot of pain," Arianne whispered to Jim, having seen many patients of hers in the past act the same way when they were in any sort of pain. "Len, Jim and I are going away for a few hours, but I want you to get some rest and let people help you, okay?"

Leonard sighed sleepily and didn't wake up, "I'll stay," Chris replied in a quiet voice. "When Ensign McCoy is out of surgery, Arianne, I'll contact you and Jim. I don't expect it will be very long until…"

The door suddenly opened and two nurses, one of whom was Christine, came into the room with a prepped gurney, "Leonard?" Christine asked, immediately recognizing the patient and also seeing that Jim, Arianne, and Captain Pike were there. "Arianne, why is Leonard here? I didn't know he was sick."

"Cadet Chapel, may I ask where the senior staff are?" Chris asked, confused why she was there.

Christine nodded, "A lot of them booked the Fourth off, sir," she replied nervously. "I live in San Francisco, but I took a summer job on campus so I'd have credits for next semester's expenses."

Arianne sighed and looked up at the overhead monitor, "I'm assuming you're to take Leonard to pre-op?" she asked firmly, having been through surgery herself not too long ago. "Let me say goodbye."

Christine nodded, "Leonard, the nurses are going to take you to pre-op now," Arianne gently explained as she gently caressed Leonard's right hand, being careful not to jar the IV line that was in it. "Relax."

"Okay," Leonard replied in a pained voice as he opened his eyes and looked at her. "For you and Jim."

Arianne nodded and gently rested Leonard's hand back on top of the blanket, "Be brave," she whispered softly, seeing fear in his tired eyes. "I will never forget what you did for me when we were prisoners…"

Leonard nodded and Arianne gently released his hand, "Dad, I think Jim and I are going to take Pavel for a bit of a walk around campus," she said as she walked over to her father and Jim. "We'll be careful."

Chris nodded and was silent as Jim and Arianne left the room, "Captain Pike, with all due respect, we need to get Doctor McCoy to pre-op as quickly as possible," Christine said in a firm voice.

"Go ahead," Chris replied as he crossed his arms. "I'll be going with him as far as I can, all right?"

Christine nodded and she and the other nurse walked over to the bed and silently detached the gurney from the clamps holding it against the wall and raised the bedrails so that Leonard wouldn't fall out of the bed during the journey to pre-op. As the bed began to move, Leonard silently gripped the handrail and Chris saw the fear in his eyes, but didn't say anything, as it would only agitate Leonard further.

* * *

_**Academy Gardens – 0830**_

"Zis is wery beauteeful," Pavel, who was wearing very loose clothing and old combat boots that used to belong to Chris, commented as he slowly followed Jim and Arianne through the large garden that had been planted over the site where the former Command Building used to be before the 2253 quake.

Jim nodded and suddenly stopped at a small plaque that was in the middle of the garden and surrounded by small flower boxes, "Vat is zat plaque?" Pavel asked softly, noticing that Jim had stopped and was now examining one of the plaques carefully. "Enseen Quirk, are you feeling all right?"

"I'm fine, Pavel," Jim replied as he caressed the plaque. "I was just looking at this plaque for a second."

Pavel nodded and silently took a seat on one of the many benches in the gardens, "I am tired, but you two kin go on eef you wish," he said in a tired voice. "Eet is wery varm here and I am not used to zat."

"Here," Jim said in a worried voice as he reached into the sidebag he had with him, pulled out a small nutrition bar that he had gotten from his stash back at the dorm, and handed it to Pavel. "It'll help."

Pavel looked at the bar warily, "Do you alvays carry food vith you?" he asked in a confused voice.

"It's a habit I picked up as a teenager when I thought I was going to die," Jim replied softly, silently reminding himself that Pavel had been in just as horrible a situation. "I never knew where my next meal was coming from for a long time, so I learned to hide food where I could always get to it easily."

Pavel nodded and unwrapped the bar, "Sank you," he said as he bit into the bar and chewed it.

"I've got an idea," Arianne spoke up in an enthusiastic voice. "Why don't we go to the Recreation Complex? It's the Fourth, so it's open all day for anyone still on campus to come and celebrate the day there. From what my dad told me, there will be games, food, swimming, and other fun things to do…"

Jim nodded and Pavel swallowed what was in his mouth, "I vould like to learn how to svim," he replied.

"Arianne's the best at swimming," Jim commented, winking at Arianne. "She'll teach you well."

Pavel nodded, stood up, and continued to eat as he followed Jim and Arianne out of the large garden.

* * *

"Surgical Bay to Captain Pike," a concerned voice said. "Captain Pike, please report to the Surgical Bay."

Frowning, Chris tapped a few buttons on his stylus, stood up, and walked quickly from the waiting room over to the door that led to the enclosed surgical bay where Leonard was. He was surprised to see Christine standing there in a full surgical get up looking nervous, but he waited for her to explain.

"Captain Pike, we were prepping Doctor McCoy for surgery and all of a sudden, his blood pressure rose and he started mumbling something about being a lab experiment," Christine explained in a worried voice. "When Doctor Harriman told him that she was going to give him a little hypo to relax him, Doctor McCoy said that he wouldn't do it unless he knew Arianne was still alive. I'm frightened, sir…"

Nodding, Chris silently walked into the surgical bay and saw that another nurse and Doctor Harriman were standing beside the surgical table looking worried. Leonard was lying on the metal operating table in a patient gown with a blanket covering his body, but his eyes were focused on the overhead lights.

"Doctor McCoy?" Chris asked, concerned by how rigid and out of it McCoy seemed to be right then.

Leonard turned his head away from the lights, "Give me proof that Ensign Pike is still alive," Leonard said in a groggy voice. "If you've killed her, I won't do anything you say no matter how much you beat me."

"Doctor McCoy, it's Captain Pike and you're at Starfleet Medical," Chris explained, alarmed by the fact that Leonard was obviously having flashbacks of his time as a hostage off-world the previous year.

Leonard frowned and blinked, as if trying to make sense of his surroundings, "Was he given any medication?" Chris asked, gazing at Doctor Harriman worriedly. "He's acting very unusual."

"Just a line of fluids," Dr. Harriman replied in a concerned voice. "I'm not sure why he's acting this way."

Chris nodded and looked down at Leonard, "Doctor McCoy, you're at Starfleet Medical about to undergo surgery for appendicitis," he explained in a calm voice. "Lieutenant Pike and Ensign Kirk took Cadet Chekov for a walk and I will call them when you are out of surgery and in a patient room. Okay?"

"I-I'm safe?" Leonard asked in a confused voice, suddenly recognizing Captain Pike. "Captain Pike…"

Chris sighed, "You will be if you let Doctor Harriman and the nurses do their jobs," he replied softly.

Leonard nodded and took a few deep breaths, "I'm safe," he whispered, trying to keep himself calm.

Chris nodded and as he turned away, he heard a gasp and turned back just in time to see Leonard trying to sit up and pull out his IV's, "I'm sorry to do this, Doctor McCoy," Dr. Harriman said as she suddenly grabbed a hypospray from the tray and injected it into Leonard's neck. "You'll be asleep very soon."

"Don't…" Leonard moaned as his eyes suddenly closed, his body relaxed, and he went very quiet.

Dr. Harriman frowned at Chris, "You look like you know something about why Doctor McCoy was acting so strange," she said in a concerned voice, noticing Chris's expression. "We'll speak about it later."

Chris sighed and nodded, "Please wait out in the surgical waiting room and I'll come find you when the surgery is complete and Doctor McCoy is in recovery," Dr. Harriman said in an unusually commanding voice. "I want you to contact Admiral Archer, Ensign Kirk, Lieutenant Pike, Doctor Puri, and any other member of staff who has had interactions with Doctor McCoy in the last year for an urgent meeting."

"I will," Chris replied, knowing that Leonard needed help. "I'll go and find them myself, all right?"

Dr. Harriman nodded and turned her attention back to Leonard as Chris silently left the room and Christine, who had seen Leonard get sedated, hurried back inside to help with Leonard's surgery.

* * *

**_Starfleet Medical Boardroom - 1000 H_**

Even though she was slightly tired from helping Pavel to learn a basic swimming stroke in the Academy pool, Arianne remained calm as she sat at the boardroom table in her cadet reds beside her father and Doctor Puri. Admiral Archer sat at the head of the table while Admiral Barnett, Admiral Archer, Commander Harriman, and Spock sat on the other side of the table. Jim was due to arrive soon.

Each of the officers present had either been engaged in work or they had been preparing to change into their civilian clothes and enjoy July Fourth when they had all received an official summons from Captain Pike to gather in the Starfleet Medical boardroom as soon as possible at Dr. Harriman's request. Dr. Harriman had done a superb job on Leonard's appendectomy, but was now most likely livid.

The door slid open and Lara came in still in her surgical attire with a concerned looking Jim walking in-step beside her, "I met Ensign Kirk in the hall on my way from the surgical area," she explained in a serious tone, relaxing slightly as Jim got a seat at the table next to Arianne. "Now, I want answers."

"Come on, Chris, you can't really tell me that Doctor McCoy is showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder a year after his time as a prisoner on Delta Vega!" Admiral Archer, whom Chris had confided in about his suspicions based on Leonard's behavior in the exam room and in pre-op spoke up cynically.

Jim paled, but Dr. Harriman held up a hand to keep him quiet, "Would somebody kindly explain what Admiral Archer is referring to?" she asked in a commanding voice. "What happened last year?"

"From January to near the end of March of 2256, Doctor McCoy and I were held hostage on a wintry planet an undetermined distance from Earth by a Vulcan named Soval who was also holding a young half- Vulcan hostage," Arianne explained in a serious voice as she looked directly at Dr. Harriman.

At the mention of the half-Vulcan, Spock frowned, but remained silent, "Were either of you offered any sort of counseling to help deal with this incident?" Dr. Harriman asked in a commanding voice.

"Shortly after that incident, I became ill with and was successfully treated for breast cancer," Arianne replied in as steady a voice as she could manage. "I began counseling sessions in June 2256 with Commander Spock at my father's recommendation and have met with Spock occasionally ever since."

Dr. Harriman looked at Spock, who offered a nod to confirm Arianne's story, "What about Doctor McCoy?" she asked, apparently satisfied. "Was he ever offered any type of counseling?"

An uneasy silence fell over the room and Dr. Puri cleared his throat, "Doctor McCoy currently attends Alcoholics Anonymous in San Francisco on occasion and had counseling for aviaphobia and attempting suicide en route to the Academy, but the counseling was two years ago," he explained in an uncomfortable voice. "Captain Pike did make a recommendation for counseling following the…"

"If Captain Pike made a recommendation, why wasn't it followed?" Arianne spoke up in an unusually angry voice, not caring that she wasn't showing decorum. "Everyone in Starfleet has a right to…"

Admiral Archer scoffed, "Leonard McCoy is a loose cannon and he proved that when he went to Atlanta in the middle of finals!" he replied in a loud, nasty tone. "You, of all people, shouldn't speak for him, Lieutenant. You've developed more than a professional interest in Leonard McCoy and it's conflicting with your ability to provide professional counseling to him or speak on his behalf to any of us…"

"Admiral Archer, I believe you are out of order," Admiral Barnett, who was flustered as to why Leonard was never given professional counseling for the incident in 2256, stated gently. "Lieutenant Pike…"

Arianne sighed, "I sincerely apologize for my disrespect, Admiral Barnett," she replied meekly.

Admiral Barnett nodded, "However, sir, I do think that I am not the right person to provide counseling to Doctor McCoy on this issue," Arianne continued before anyone else could speak. "I'm not with Doctor McCoy every minute of the day and I'm not sure how deeply this incident has affected his abilities…"

"Bones has chamomile tea every night before he turns in for the night so that he won't dream," Jim spoke up, silently reminding himself that he was trying to help his 'brother.' "I asked him about why once and he told me that he's afraid of dreaming, as he doesn't want to remember the bad stuff."

Arianne turned pale, Admiral Archer looked concerned, Chris stared determinedly at the table, and Dr. Harriman and Admiral Barnett looked almost horrified. Spock, however, looked extremely thoughtful.

Swallowing hard, Jim shakily got up from the table and left the room without being dismissed, "Kirk, you haven't been dismissed yet!" Admiral Archer shouted after Jim. "Where's Ensign Kirk going?!"

"Probably to hang around the surgical area to wait for news on his best friend," Arianne replied in a knowledgeable voice. "If you want my professional opinion, I think a senior staff member who has experience dealing with trauma on both a personal and professional level should serve as a counselor to Doctor McCoy. Frankly, I think he should still go to AA, but I don't think it's proving to be enough."

Spock cleared his throat, "I have observed that Doctor McCoy has seemed uncomfortable in my class during the summer term and I speculate that it is because of his traumatic experience at the hands of Soval," he stated tonelessly. "Captain Pike, I would like to speak with you privately on this matter."

"Something had better be done quickly, whatever it is," Dr. Harriman said in an angry voice as she stood up. "In the meantime, Doctor Puri, I want to have a meeting with the rest of the Starfleet Medical..."

Seeing that things were about to get ugly, Chris looked at Arianne, "Lieutenant Pike, why don't you go wait in the surgical area with Ensign Kirk?" he suggested gently. "I'm sure Doctor Harriman will give you two clearance to sit in post-op with Doctor McCoy as long as you behave yourselves. Isn't that right?"

"I assigned Doctor Phlox to check in on Doctor McCoy while I was in this meeting," Dr. Harriman replied in a less tense voice. "I'll give Lieutenant Pike and Ensign Kirk clearance so long as they behave."

Arianne nodded and quickly got to her feet, "We will," she promised in a nervous voice. "Come on, Jim."

Jim nodded, got to his feet, and hurried out of the boardroom with Arianne, eager to check on Leonard.

* * *

Silence continued to fill the post-op bay as the chronometer over the door changed to 1200 H and the monitor overhead the gurney where Leonard was resting silently fluctuated. Leonard was lying in a deep sleep on the gurney in a patient gown with a blanket and socks over his legs and feet.

Soft, but very strong restraints were tied around Leonard's wrists and around the support rails to stop him from pulling the driplines off of his arms and hands if he were to wake up severely disoriented. An oxygen tube was also in his nose that was connected to a small tank underneath the end of the gurney.

Jim and Arianne were sitting in chairs on Leonard's right side, both of them wearing surgical outfits so not to contaminate anything and they had been permitted to bring PADDs into the post-op area to read while they waited for Leonard to wake up. So far, there had been so signs that he was waking up at all.

"I heard you two would be in here," Phlox commented as the door slid opened and he entered the room wearing a surgical gown over his normal medical clothes. "I've just come to check on Doctor McCoy."

Arianne nodded and she and Jim silently watched as Phlox walked over to the gurney and silently studied the overhead monitor for a moment before moving up the bed. Phlox carefully lifted the blanket and the gown and gently examined the bandage that was covering the sutured up surgical incisions.

"Who's…there?" Leonard suddenly asked in a groggy voice even though he didn't open his eyes.

Arianne swallowed hard, but didn't say a word as Phlox quickly smoothed down the gown and re-covered Leonard's legs with the blanket, "It's Doctor Phlox, Doctor McCoy," Phlox replied calmly.

"Phlox…" Leonard mumbled groggily as he tried to move his hands, but couldn't. "…My hands…"

Phlox sighed, "Try and open your eyes for me," he replied gently as he grabbed a bedpan from a portable table beside the gurney and stuck it under Leonard's chin. "Just open them slowly."

Leonard groaned softly and slowly forced his eyes open, "I don't feel so good," he mumbled in a groggy voice, breaking off in mid-sentence when he suddenly vomited three times into the bedpan. "Sorry."

"That's all right," Phlox replied calmly as he put the bedpan on the table, picked up a small moist cloth, and gently wiped Leonard's mouth with it. "I know you're tired, but there are some people who want to say hello before you go back to sleep for a while. Lieutenant Pike, Ensign Kirk, please make it brief."

Leonard's eyes narrowed, "What are you two doing here?" he asked in a groggy voice. "You're not…"

"We wanted to see if you were okay," Arianne replied softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I did in 2256 after I woke up after a month under deep sedation," Leonard replied groggily as he suddenly closed his eyes again. "Soval drugged me with so much crap that I could barely breathe."

Jim's eyes widened, but Arianne gently put a hand over his mouth, "I'm so sleepy," Leonard mumbled groggily as he let out a deep, very tired sigh. "Tell Captain Pike that I'm sorry I couldn't endure more."

As Leonard fell back into a deep sleep, Arianne sighed and looked at Jim, "Jim, can you stay with Leonard until Phlox kicks you out?" she asked, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with what Leonard must have endured to guarantee her safety during their time as hostages. "I-I just need to get some air…"

"Arianne, are you okay?" Jim asked, frowning as Arianne stood up with her eyes filled with tears.

Swallowing hard, Arianne moved to the door, "Jim, I'll come back a little later, all right?" she asked in a shaky voice, not wanting to let Jim or Phlox see her in such a state. "Phlox, take care of both of them."

Phlox nodded and Arianne fled the room. Jim looked at Phlox for a moment and then got his communicator out of his pocket, "Ensign Kirk to Captain Pike," he said in a quiet voice.

* * *

**_Golden Gate Park– 1400 H_**

Arianne sighed as she gazed up at the blue sky; it wasn't too hot of a day, just warm enough to make the grass seem comfortable and the sun was hiding behind some white clouds so she wouldn't burn. She had fled off campus to be alone with what Leonard had revealed to her about their time as hostages.

"It is illogical to use the grass as a place to sleep," Spock's voice suddenly stated. "Are you unwell?"

Even though she was on the verge of tears, Arianne slowly sat up and saw that Spock was standing against a tree in his casual pantsuit, "Spock, I thought you were in a meeting?" she asked softly.

"Captain Pike is currently meeting with Starfleet Medical and Starfleet Command concerning Doctor McCoy's situation and he was unable to respond to Ensign Kirk's call," Spock explained tonelessly.

Arianne nodded and slowly got to her feet, "I was just thinking about what Leonard told me," she replied in a somber voice. "I was unconscious for a long time and when I woke up, Leonard was talking softly to me and had tucked me into a bed. I felt like crap and I wondered why he seemed fine…"

Spock nodded, but remained silent, "I guess Len wasn't fine," Arianne continued as tears suddenly escaped from her tired eyes. "I just feel so awful about thinking that Len was fine when he wasn't…"

Biting his lip, Spock stepped closer to Arianne, silently wrapped his arms around her thin body, and silently held her for several minutes while she cried into his shoulder. Arianne sighed and gently pulled away, wiping her face on her sleeve as she looked at Spock, "Thank you," she replied tiredly.

"No thanks is necessary," Spock replied tonelessly. "You were in emotional distress over a situation that was beyond your control and because of my mother, I find that humans feel better with hugs…"

Arianne sighed, "Thank you for coming to find me, Spock," she replied softly. "I'm sorry I ran off."

"Again, no apologies are necessary," Spock stated tonelessly. "I was merely assisting a sibling."

Arianne nodded and her eyes suddenly widened as she thought of what she could do for Leonard, "I have an idea of how to help Len, Spock," she said, smiling at Spock. "Will you help me with it?"

"I will do what I can to assist in your endeavor," Spock replied tonelessly. "What are you thinking?"

Arianne smiled, "We need to go to the space port immediately," she replied enthusiastically.

"The space port is far from here," Spock commented tonelessly. "May I ask why we are going there?"

Arianne sighed, "Spock, all I'm asking is for you to trust me," she replied gently. "Come on."

Raising an eyebrow, Spock nodded and silently followed Arianne through the park to the street.

* * *

**_Starfleet Medical – Patient Room – 1700 H_**

Leonard sighed sleepily as he woke up and found that he was in a regular room, but that the restraints were still on his wrists so that he wouldn't be tempted to pull his IV's out again. He looked around and was surprised to see Jim laying sound asleep on a row of pushed together chairs against the wall.

"Jim?" Leonard called out, wondering how long he had been asleep since the room was dimly lit.

There was a snort and then Leonard found Jim at his bedside, "Hey Bones," Jim spoke groggily.

"Why won't they untie me?" Leonard asked in a tired voice, wincing as he suddenly felt pain.

Jim frowned and swallowed hard, "I told Doctor Harriman about your sleeping problems and about the tea," he replied nervously. "She wants you to go back to counseling after you're physically able."

"I go to AA," Leonard replied sleepily as he struggled to stay awake. "Isn't that enough?"

Jim shook his head and leaned against the bed rail, "I'm not supposed to tell you all that, but I figured you'd rather hear it from me than Doctor Harriman or Captain Pike," he replied softly. "It'll be…"

The door suddenly opened and Arianne and Eleanora came into the room, "Oh, baby," Eleanora whispered in an anxious voice as she hurried over to the bed and gently caressed Leonard's cheek.

"Mama, how did you get here?" Leonard asked sleepily as he looked at his mother. "It costs a lot…"

Jim quickly looked at Arianne, but she didn't say anything, "You're my only child, Len," Eleanora replied in a gentle voice as she gently brushed his bangs off his forehead. "How could I not come out here?"

"I think I might have said some weird things when I was drugged, Mama," Leonard commented sleepily as he tugged at the restraints and promptly yawned. "Ugh, I feel so sleepy; I need to start waking up."

Eleanora sighed and gently adjusted the blanket so it was covering Leonard's chest, "Just go back to sleep if you need to, Len," she replied in a gentle voice. "I'm going to stay right here with you."

Swallowing hard, Arianne motioned for Jim to follow her out of the room, which he did, "How'd you manage to get Bones's mom out here?" Jim asked in a quiet voice as the door closed. "Did you…?"

"I bought her a ticket out here," Arianne replied gently. "It took most the credits I had saved up, but I thought it would help Leonard's recovery. I'll need to find a job for August to replace them."

Jim nodded as he and Arianne walked down the hallway to the foyer, "Couldn't you pick up extra shifts on campus somewhere?" he asked as they left the building. "There's probably a lot of places that…"

"Those jobs are already taken by other students who stayed behind for the summer," Arianne replied softly as she pulled a PADD out of her pocket. "I'm authorized to work anywhere in the Sol System…"

Jim frowned, "I'd miss you and so would Bones," he replied worriedly. "What about Pavel?"

"Pavel was reassigned to Dr. Harriman and I've been ordered not to serve as Leonard's counselor anymore," Arianne replied in a solemn voice. "Admiral Archer actually assigned me to work at the Copernicus Village Medical Center for a month so that I could practice what I learned in class."

Jim's eyes widened as he followed Arianne over to a tree, "Is it just me, or does Admiral Archer hate your guts?" he asked in a confused voice. "Why would he send you to Luna if he didn't hate you?"

"I'm not going to worry about that now," Arianne replied softly. "Shall we go enjoy the Fourth?"

Realizing that there was something more to the story than Arianne was telling him, Jim nodded, "We could get some dinner at the canteen and then go hang out at the Recreation Complex," he suggested in a gentle voice, knowing not to pry into Arianne's business. "I could teach you how to play poker…"

"All right," Arianne replied, smiling at Jim so to keep him calm. "Let's go have a quiet evening."

* * *

_**Captain Pike's Residence – 2300 H**_

Arianne looked up from her stylus as the front door opened and Chris walked in, "Dad, how's Doctor McCoy feeling?" she asked, having come to her father's house after spending time with Jim at the canteen and at the Recreation Complex playing several games of pool. "Is Eleanora still there?"

"Doctor McCoy was more coherent when I checked on him at 20:00 H and has been able to keep down ice chips and water according to Doctor Harriman," Chris replied calmly. "I talked with him for a bit and once he's had a couple of days to rest, I'll start him in counseling and he and his mother will both be staying here until he's well enough to return to the dorms. How was your day, kiddo? You look tired."

Arianne sighed, "I'm all right, just going over some information that I need to know before I go to the Copernicus Village Hospital for my practicum," she replied, smiling at her father. "It's quite a bit."

Chris nodded, "You'll be a good counselor for the patients at the Medical Center," he said in a reassuring voice that was full of pride. "I've got to get to bed before I collapse. Don't stay up too late, all right?"

Arianne nodded and smiled as her father disappeared upstairs. She then looked back at the stylus that was telling her what to expect and what she would go through while at the Copernicus Village Medical Center; she was a counselor there, yes, but she would also be undergoing tests concerning her past.

Admiral Archer had said that if she were to go and submit to testing concerning her previous life, the de-aging process, and anything to do with T'Pol's and Soval's illegal activity towards her and anyone else, he would ensure that Starfleet would never find out about it, thereby preserving her place in the Academy and preserving her father's career. Arianne had agreed and Admiral Archer had taken it upon himself to make all the arrangements and had also forced her to promise that she wouldn't tell anyone the truth about her assignment.

Arianne bit her lip; for the first time since she had met Jim, she had lied to him and she had also lied directly to her father so that nothing would happen to either of their careers. She would leave a note for Leonard and didn't have the nerve to even say anything to Spock about it.

What had happened to her was highly illegal and she would protect as many as she could from encountering any backlash from what had happened long ago. Arianne knew that many risks had been taken in order to give her a safe environment and she would protect her protectors.

* * *

**I want very much to continue this story, but I need to feel motivated in order to continue. The only way I am going to feel motivated to continue is if I receive detailed reviews for this story. Therefore, I please ask for detailed reviews.**


	32. August 2257: Pretending To Forget

**_August 2257_**

**_Copernicus Village Medical Center – Copernicus Village, Luna_**

The title 'Counseling Intern' was merely a formality while in reality, she spent most of her time being subjected to mental, emotional, verbal, and physical tests to see what effect de-aging had on her systems. She had been a patient for nearly fourteen days and hadn't counseled a single patient.

Arianne opened her eyes and found that she was yet again in her bed, wearing her Starfleet uniform and several bad bruises that she had received while undergoing torture. When she had arrived at the facility expecting to be given patients, she had been immediately admitted for a complete assessment.

Her communicator, Starfleet ID chips, and uniform had been confiscated and she had been taken right to T'Pol who had assessed her as needing extensive testing and mental counseling. The medical doctors had left her alone for the most part, believing her to be dangerous, and T'Pol had done the testing.

When Arianne had demanded to speak with Starfleet Academy, T'Pol had given her a high dose of psychotropic drugs and had melded with her to get the needed information. The past fourteen days had been filled with forced melds, dosages of psychotropic drugs, testing, and minimal food rations.

Now, as Arianne lay in her bed, she realized that Admiral Archer had tricked her into coming to this facility so that she, a person with invisible disabilities, wouldn't contaminate the perfection expected at Starfleet Academy. It was the worst trick she had ever seen, but she had fallen for it much too easily.

Swallowing hard, Arianne got out of bed, silently left her room, and walked down the hallway to the cafeteria-like atrium where low-risk patients were allowed to hang out during the day. She moved over to a table near the window and sat down so that she could look out at space. A knife touched her throat.

"Well, well, well," Elizabeth Dehner's voice whispered in her ear. "I never thought I'd see you here."

Arianne froze, but didn't move, "Elizabeth Dehner," she replied in a soft voice. "I thought you were on Vulcan receiving mental health treatment after you murdered Soval in cold blood and caused many…"

"Silence," Elizabeth whispered in an amused voice. "I was transferred here for psychiatric care."

Arianne gasped as Elizabeth put her in a headlock, unaware that Professor Khan, who had just aided in admitting a patient to the high-risk area of the facility, had come into the cafeteria with Dr. Sonak for a bit of refreshment before he made the long journey back to the Academy. She heard a faint gasp.

"What do you think you are doing out of your room, Miss Dehner?" Arianne suddenly heard Professor Khan ask in an angry voice, closing her eyes as she felt Elizabeth's hold loosen. "Doctor Sonak…"

Exhausted from being almost choked to death, Arianne immediately slumped forward on to the table, "Why is Counselor Pike in this area of the hospital?" she heard Professor Khan ask angrily.

Forcing her eyes open, Arianne shakily sat up and turned to face him, "A-Admiral A-Archer gave me to T'Pol for testing," she replied in a shaky, unsteady voice as she suddenly felt pain in her body and head.

"Doctor Sonak, is this accurate?" Professor Khan asked in a horrified voice as he looked at Dr. Sonak.

Dr. Sonak frowned, "Lieutenant Pike was assigned here to serve as a counselor to patients by an Admiral Jonathan Archer of Starfleet Academy," he replied tonelessly. "It appears she has suffered injuries…"

"T-T'Pol," Arianne whispered as she stood up and immediately sank to her knees. "Pain…"

Elizabeth chuckled, but winced as Professor Khan put her in a headlock, "Doctor Sonak, see to Lieutenant Pike and contact Captain Pike at Starfleet Academy," he said in a commanding voice, deeply appalled that Arianne had been treated in such a fashion. "I will return Miss Dehner to her room."

As Professor Khan escorted Elizabeth away, Arianne suddenly hurled and doubled over with an expression of agony on her face, "Oh…" she moaned, struggling to stay conscious as Dr. Sonak knelt down next to her. "I had to lie to Jim, my father, and Spock about why I was here…and Leonard…"

"Relax," Dr. Sonak whispered as he gently laid Arianne back and turned her on her side so that she was lying on the floor in the recovery position. "I assure you, Lieutenant, that you are now safe."

Arianne took a deep breath to relax and she felt Sonak's hand gently touch her face, "I will initiate a healing trance on you so that you will forget your injuries for the time being," she heard Sonak say in a calm, yet very emotionless voice. "My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts…"

_Forgive me. _Arianne thought weakly as she closed her eyes and allowed herself to succumb to darkness.

* * *

_**Seven Days Later**_

_**Starfleet Command – Administration Boardroom**_

"I tell you, Chris, I had no idea what was going on at that hospital!" Admiral Archer shouted angrily as he stood before a panel that consisted of Captain Pike, Commander Harriman, Commander Nogura, Admiral Barnett, Doctor Puri, and several other members of Command. "If I had known what T'Pol…"

Chris sighed, "T'Pol isn't to blame for Arianne ending up at that hospital," he replied, fighting hard to get up and punch Admiral Archer in the face for his ignorance. "You assigned her there and I want to know why you did, Jon. Arianne was doing just fine at the Academy and she was even taking that class…"

"You know we can't ever discuss that, Chris," Admiral Archer replied anxiously. "It was illegal…"

Admiral Barnett frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Chris beat him to it, "Screw Section 31 protocol," Chris snapped angrily. "Arianne was rescued from certain death and I adopted her, knowing full well that I was risking my Starfleet career by doing so. I don't think it's fair to punish her for that."

"Admiral Archer, Captain Pike, all top-ranking officials in both Starfleet and the Vulcan High Command are already aware of the circumstances of Arianne Pike's arrival to Earth," Admiral Barnett, who didn't want a brawl between Admiral Archer and Captain Pike breaking out. "That is not the issue here."

Admiral Archer sighed, "As I said, I had no idea what was going on at that hospital until I got a call from an infuriated Captain Pike two days ago," he explained in a calmer voice. "Apparently, he was called…"

"I was contacted by a Doctor Sonak," Chris interrupted in a tight voice. "He told me what had happened and that he had induced a healing trance on Lieutenant Pike so she wouldn't continue to suffer pain from her numerous injuries. I asked Doctor Sonak to get her on the next transport to Earth, but he said that transporting her to Vulcan for mind-healing would be better for her in the long-run. I sent Commander Spock n to monitor that situation and as of last night, he came back with her."

Commander Harriman sighed, "So that's why Spock hasn't been in contact with anyone," he replied.

"What is Lieutenant Pike's current condition?" Commander Nogura asked in a concerned voice.

Chris sighed, "Spock and the Vulcan Elders were able to stabilize Arianne's mind enough for travel," he replied, recalling what Spock had told him after leaving Arianne at Starfleet Medical. "Doctor Harriman admitted Arianne to the intensive care unit just as a precaution, but her injuries are relatively minor."

"No doubt that Ensign Kirk and Doctor McCoy are trying to visit," Dr. Puri commented in a tired voice.

Admiral Barnett rolled his eyes, "Admiral Archer, should we arrest T'Pol for her crimes?" he asked.

"Admiral Barnett, I ask that you allow me to deal with T'Pol personally," Admiral Archer replied in an unusually anxious voice. "I believe I can make sure she will not cause harm to Lieutenant Pike again. Let's wait a week or two to make sure everything's calm and then I will personally travel to Luna and talk to T'Pol."

Chris scoffed and stood up, "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go sit with my daughter," he said, having had enough of Starfleet politics and drama for one day. "Contact me when you come to a decent solution."

Before anyone could stop him, Chris left, leaving a group of stunned Command officers behind.

* * *

_**Intensive Care Unit – Starfleet Medical**_

"…_Jim, you shouldn't be here…"_

"…_Oh man, what did they do to her at that hospital, Bones? She got beat up badly…"_

The sound of a medical tricorder filled Arianne's ears and she suddenly felt a hand gently touch her cheek and caress it, "The bruises seem to be fading, but her face will probably be tender for a couple of days yet," she heard Doctor Harriman say in a concerned voice. "Doctor McCoy, why are you here?"

There was a silence, "Arianne's my girlfriend and I love her," Arianne heard Leonard say quietly.

Arianne suddenly felt a hand gently caress her left hand, "Bones, Arianne's my other best friend, but we should really go and let Doctor Harriman take care of her," she heard Jim say in a worried voice.

"Wait…" Arianne found herself saying in a very faint voice, unable to open her tired eyes as she weakly clasped her fingers around Leonard's warm hand. "Don't leave me….I'm so tired of being alone…"

The door opened and closed, "Doctor Harriman, report," Arianne heard her father say worriedly.

Arianne groaned and forced her eyes open; she quickly realized that she was lying in semi-upright position in a patient gown with several IV's in both of her arms and an oxygen tube in her nose. She saw her father and Jim lingering by end of the bed while Leonard and Dr. Harriman were at her bedside.

"Where am I?" Arianne asked weakly, gripping Leonard's warm hand. "Am I still on Luna?"

Dr. Harriman shook her head, "No," she replied gently. "How are you feeling, Lieutenant Pike?"

"Tired and very sore," Arianne replied weakly. "Doctor Harriman, where am I?"

Dr. Harriman sighed, "The intensive care unit of Starfleet Medical," she replied gently as she looked at the overhead monitor for a moment before looking at Arianne. "You suffered several bruises and contusions to the face, broken ribs, dehydration, exhaustion, and malnutrition. The bruising on your neck suggests that someone attempted to strangle you at some point, but there will be no…"

"Am I going to be okay by fall term?" Arianne asked weakly, quickly tiring of all of her visitors.

Chris nodded and walked alongside the bed, "You'll be well enough to do what you need to," he replied softly, secretly amused that Leonard and Arianne were still holding hands. "Term isn't for two weeks, though, so just take it easy, all right? Admiral Archer will want to talk to you at some point…"

"Why would Admiral Archer want to talk to me, Dad?" Arianne asked in a confused voice. "I can't exactly remember what happened on Luna, but why would Admiral Archer know anything about it?"

Chris frowned, "What exactly do you remember about Admiral Archer, Arianne?" he asked, wondering if Admiral Archer had set the whole thing on Luna up because of his presence in Arianne's former life.

"I met Admiral Archer in 2255 when I was defending Doctor McCoy," Arianne replied weakly. "Why?"

Even though Chris was horrified that Arianne's memories of her previous life seemed to be gone, he nodded calmly, "I was just testing your memory, kiddo," he replied gently. "You'll probably have a lot of people doing that while you're in the hospital. I also want you to review your notes from last term…"

"Dad, I think I can remember everything," Arianne replied tiredly as she released Leonard's hand. "Oh…"

Dr. Harriman smiled, "All right, Captain, I think it's time to let Lieutenant Pike here get some rest," she said in a firm voice, seeing that Arianne was quickly tiring. "Doctor McCoy, give her a hug and…"

"I'm not going anywhere," Leonard replied softly, keeping hold of Arianne's hand. "I'm staying here."

Arianne sighed sleepily, "Len, please, can I talk to my father alone for a minute?" she asked in a tired voice as she looked at him. "Doctor Harriman, can you get these two some cots from somewhere?"

Dr. Harriman nodded and silently escorted Leonard and Jim from the room, "I know what you're thinking, Dad, and you're wrong," Arianne said weakly as she looked up at her father. "I still have all my memories of everything, but for the sake of your career, I want to pretend that I just had one life."

"What exactly did T'Pol do to you?" Chris asked softly, knowing that there wasn't much time to talk.

Arianne took a deep breath and winced, "She studied my past and my present," she replied weakly. "I can't remember everything yet, but my time on Luna was basically spent as a living experiment."

Chris nodded, but didn't speak, "I knew that this would happen, but I didn't want you or Jim trying to get involved since Leonard was recovering from surgery and needed your support more than I did," Arianne said in a faint voice. "Admiral Archer contacted me at the end of June and said that if I submitted to testing concerning my previous life, the de-aging process, and anything to do with T'Pol's and Soval's illegal activity he would ensure that Starfleet would never find out about what you did for me."

All the color drained from Chris's face, "According to Admiral Barnett, Starfleet Command already knows about it and the records of your past life have been either sealed away or destroyed," he explained in a concerned voice. "Admiral Archer will personally deal with T'Pol and it is not to be discussed further."

"Am I going to be demoted for lying?" Arianne asked in a weak voice, deeply nervous about her fate.

Chris shook his head, "No, you'll remain a Lieutenant and in both academic tracks if that's what you want," he replied gently. "Everything about you before November 2231 is going to be kept off all records."

Arianne sighed and gently grabbed the blanket, "According to Starfleet records, you were abandoned on the Academy campus shortly after birth, found by me on New Year's Day 2232, and later adopted by me with authorization from Admiral Archer," Chris stated gently. "That's how it will be from now on, okay?"

"I think it's better that way," Arianne replied sleepily. "How long am I going to have to stay here?"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Chris chuckled, "Probably at least overnight," he replied.

"Do Jim and Leonard have to stay here too?" Arianne asked softly. "I mean…I lied to them and…"

Chris sighed, "Not if you don't want them to, but they aren't mad at you," he replied, seeing that Arianne was getting tired. "Oh, I forgot to mention that Spock wants to talk to you at some point."

"Oh man," Arianne replied sleepily. "I didn't even tell Spock where I was going or why…"

As Arianne closed her eyes, Chris pulled the blanket up so it would cover her better, "Spock knows," he said in a gentle voice as he gently patted Arianne's hand. "Just get some sleep and I'll stay right here."

Arianne sighed sleepily and Chris turned away from the bed just in time to see Dr. Harriman come back into the room, "I convinced Ensign Kirk and Ensign McCoy to go back to their dorm tonight," she explained in a quiet voice, seeing that Arianne was asleep. "I think she can go home tomorrow."

"I'm going to take her to my house for a few days," Chris replied quietly, looking at Dr. Harriman.

Dr. Harriman nodded, "I was going to recommend that anyway, as your house is closer to Starfleet Medical than the dorms are in case of any problems," she said gently. "I'm also going to recommend that Arianne not engage in any major physical activity until at least the first week of term for safety."

"Understood," Chris replied softly, crossing his arms. "Are there going to be any long-term effects?"

Dr. Harriman shook her head, "Not physically," she replied. "There might be emotional effects…"

"Commander Spock is going to be meeting with Arianne when she's well enough," Chris stated softly as he turned his back to Arianne's sleeping form. "I've also put in a request with Starfleet Command that a full-scale investigation be done on the Copernicus Village Medical Center and the methods they use…"

Dr. Harriman grimaced, "Sounds like a pretty barbaric place," she replied, gazing at Arianne's sleeping form before walking over to the bed. "Captain Pike, in all honesty, I want to meet with Lieutenant Pike weekly to make sure there are no long-term physical effects. I'm concerned by this situation…"

Before Chris could reply, the intercom buzzed, "Doctor Harriman, please escort Lieutenant Pike to the auditorium for debriefing and questioning," a commanding voice stated. "We know she's awake."

Hearing the word 'debriefing', Arianne opened her eyes, "Dad, get me a cadet uniform," she said in a groggy voice as she slowly forced herself into a sitting position. "Can someone remove these IV's?"

"You've only been conscious for 20 minutes, Arianne," Chris replied in an anxious voice. "I can…"

Arianne immediately shook her head, "If you tell Starfleet Command that the debriefing should be postponed, they might see it as enough reason to recommend that I be discharged from the Academy," she stated in a tired voice as she slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Please, help me."

Dr. Harriman sighed and muttered something about the 'airheads of Starfleet', but carefully removed all of the IV's and bandaged the sites, "If you have any symptoms, come back immediately," she said in a concerned voice as she helped Arianne get off the bed. "I'm not sure if you can get a cadet uniform…"

"I'll look into getting one delivered here," Chris replied calmly. "Arianne, you best clean yourself up."

As Chris left the room, Arianne looked at Dr. Harriman, "I'm scared," she whispered in a nervous voice.

* * *

**_Starfleet Academy Auditorium – 1300 H_**

Leonard, Jim, Pavel, Christine, and the few other cadets who had stayed on campus for the summer were seated in the many chairs that were normally used for assemblies. In front of the room, there was a long table used by Starfleet Academy and Starfleet Command to conduct hearings and court-martials and it was occupied by Admiral Barnett, Admiral Archer, Commander Harriman, Commander Nogura, Doctor Puri, and several other members of the Command Division, all of whom were in dress uniforms.

The door opened and Captain Pike came in and stood before the table, "Captain Pike, where is Lieutenant Pike?" Admiral Barnett asked in a commanding voice. "She was ordered to report…"

"I'm right here," Arianne replied tiredly as she slowly walked into the auditorium in her cadet uniform with her hands by her side and her hair in a bun. "Lieutenant Arianne Pike reporting as ordered."

There was a moment of silence as Dr. Harriman entered the room and joined the group at the table without acknowledging Arianne; it was both her and Dr. Puri's responsibility to be at both sessions.

Admiral Barnett nodded and Captain Pike moved into the audience seats, "This open debriefing is now in session," he said in a commanding voice as he picked up a stylus. "Lieutenant Arianne Christine Pike of the Command and Medical Tracks at Starfleet Academy, you were recently held prisoner at the Copernicus Village Medical Center for 14 days under the false pretense of being a counseling intern."

Even though Arianne could hear frightened whispers from the gallery, she kept her gaze focused on the debriefing panel, "Yes, that is correct," she replied calmly. "I got out of there relatively unharmed."

"Lieutenant, is there any reason why you were held for 14 days?" Admiral Barnett asked worriedly.

Swallowing hard, Arianne shook her head, "I'm not entirely sure," she replied nervously. "I remember being given large doses of psychotropic drugs and forcibly interrogated about my Starfleet record."

"Oh man," Leonard murmured softly, quickly earning himself glares from Captain Pike and Jim.

Admiral Barnett nodded, "You will be required to make a detailed report of your experiences and submit them to Command for review," he stated, seeing that Arianne looked tired. "We have discussed your situation with Doctor Harriman and in exchange for being allowed to keep your commission and continue forward in the Academy, you will be required to attend weekly physiotherapy and counseling."

"Understood," Arianne replied calmly even though her ribs were beginning to hurt from being upright.

The panel took a few seconds to talk amongst themselves before Admiral Barnett cleared his throat, "This open session is now concluded," he said in a commanding voice. "All those who have not been invited to the closed session of this debriefing are now dismissed to their previous activities."

Arianne bowed her head to each of the panel and then slowly left the auditorium, "McCoy, Kirk, follow her," Chris whispered to Jim and Leonard. "I have to stay for the closed session, but Arianne's tired…"

Jim nodded and quietly left the auditorium, "Doctor McCoy, if you think that Arianne's pushing herself too hard or that she needs a rest, you have my authorization to give her meds for sleep or pain if you think she needs them," Chris whispered to Leonard, who lingered behind. "You're good for her."

"Right," Leonard replied in a whisper right before he silently left the auditorium in complete silence.

* * *

The bench in front of the Academy fountain never felt so comfortable to Arianne before, but she found herself very relaxed and not feeling so much pain as she sat there letting the sun shine down on her.

"You sure like sleeping outside, don't you?" Arianne suddenly heard Jim ask as footsteps approached.

Arianne opened her eyes and sighed at seeing Jim standing there in his cadet reds, "I just got tired, Jim," she replied in a tired voice as Jim sat next to her on the bench. "20 minutes after I woke up, I was summoned before the board for a debriefing even though I was supposed to have time to recover…"

"Starfleet's weird that way," Jim commented. "Besides the ribs, though, how are you feeling?"

Arianne sighed, "Terrible," she replied tiredly, grimacing as she saw Leonard coming towards them.

"Are you up to walking back to Captain Pike's house or should I go borrow one of those cart thingies?" Leonard asked, seeing how tired Arianne looked from just attending the debriefing. "You look tired."

Swallowing hard, Arianne slowly stood up, "It's only a short walk," she replied as Pavel, Christine, and the other cadets came down the stairs of the auditorium deep in conversation with each other, immediately going quiet when they saw Arianne, Jim, and Leonard. "What's wrong?"

Christine and most of the other cadets didn't reply, however, and walked off down the path that led to the dorms, Academy canteen, and library. Only Pavel remained and he looked very nervous.

"Pavel, what's wrong?" Arianne asked worriedly, seeing fear in Pavel's eyes. "Why do you look scared?"

Jim suddenly exchanged a look with Leonard, "Uh, Arianne, it's been a long day," he said anxiously.

"Shut up, Jim," Arianne replied, suddenly feeling concerned. "Did something happen to someone?"

Pavel swallowed hard, "Zere are rumors zat you attacked Professor Spock on Wulcan vhen you were zere," he replied in a nervous voice, looking at her. "I understand it vas trauma, but ze ozzers…"

Arianne's eyes widened, "I was never on Vulcan, Pavel," she replied in a voice of disbelief.

"Yeah, you were," Leonard replied in a heavy voice, not surprised that Arianne couldn't remember anything before she regained consciousness at Starfleet Medical. "You can even ask Captain Pike…"

Horror filled Arianne's heart, "Oh, no," she said in an anxious voice. "Jim, Len, I've got some things to do for a little while, but I'll meet you both at my father's later on, all right? Try not to burn the place down."

Before Leonard, Jim, or Pavel could reply, Arianne took off at a speedwalk towards Spock's residence.

* * *

**_Command Residences – 1400 H_**

Swallowing hard, Arianne winced as she pressed the buzzer besides Spock's door and immediately dropped her hand because it was trembling uncontrollably. She could hear footsteps approaching.

The door opened and Spock was standing there in a karategi with a badly bruised black eye, colorful bruises on his face, and a confused expression on his face. Arianne turned away and began to cry.

"Lieutenant Pike, crying on a doorstep is illogical," Spock spoke in a toneless voice. "Come in."

Sniffling, Arianne turned back to face Spock, "Pavel told me that there are rumors that I attacked you on Vulcan," she replied through her tears. "Spock, please, I need to know if I attacked you and why."

Spock was quiet for several seconds and then slowly limped back into his house, "Come inside and close the door behind you," he said in a toneless voice. "I will explain what happened to you in private."

Nodding, Arianne quickly entered the house and closed the door just in time to see Spock ease himself into a chair and rest his left foot on a padded ottoman, "Should I turn myself in or will you be doing that?" she asked in a worried voice, seeing that Spock was in a lot of pain. "Spock, I didn't mean to…"

"You did not attack me because you were physically incapacitated," Spock replied tonelessly. "I was attacked upon my arrival at the hospital to assist Doctor Sonak in transporting you to Vulcan for treatment by a mind-healer. I was given basic anaglesics on Vulcan while you were being treated."

Arianne sniffled and immediately sat in the chair near the door, "People think I'm dangerous, Spock," she replied in an anxious voice as she laid back to ease the pressure in her ribs. "That's not good."

"I assure you that no Command or Academy personnel think you are dangerous," Spock replied in a pained voice as he laid back in his chair. "They are working to quell any unsavory comments…"

Suddenly realizing that Spock was in pain, Arianne slowly got up and walked over to him, "Spock, should I call someone from Medical to come examine you?" she asked in a worried voice. "You don't look well."

"All Command level staff are currently in conference concerning the incident on Luna," Spock replied tonelessly as he put his arms on the arm-rests. "If you are able to find another with medical training…"

Arianne sighed, "I know of two available medics: Doctor Phlox and Doctor McCoy," she replied softly.

"Doctor Phlox is currently in his annual hibernation period so that he is fresh by the beginning of term," Spock replied tonelessly. "I have also observed that Doctor McCoy suffers from xenophobia…"

Arianne nodded, "Spock, please allow me to call Doctor McCoy," she said. "I know he will help you."

Spock sighed and gestured to the video communicator, indicating to Arianne that he would allow her to contact Dr. McCoy. Arianne slowly walked over to the terminal and punched in Leonard's communicator number, silently praying that he was in a good enough mood to do whatever she asked of him.

* * *

The door chime sounded and Spock inhaled sharply, but didn't move from the couch where Arianne helped him to move to and sit. He instead adjusted his wrapped foot to keep it on the pillow.

"Don't move your foot, Spock," Arianne said in a commanding voice as she stood up, slowly walked over to the door, and opened it with a tap of the door control. "Doctor McCoy, thank you for coming."

Leonard nodded and held up the medical bag, but he didn't enter the house, "All the senior people are still in that meeting, so I sent Jim to hang out with Pavel and I sorta borrowed some stuff from Starfleet Medical," he explained in a low voice. "Is Commander Spock going to report me for stealing supplies?"

"I assure you, Doctor McCoy, I will do no such thing," Spock's voice filtered out of the small house.

Arianne smiled, "Did I forget to mention that Vulcans possess extraordinary hearing, Doctor?" she asked in a slightly amused voice. "Now, I do believe your patient is waiting inside for medical treatment."

Before Leonard could reply, Arianne walked back into the living room and was relieved when he came inside and let the door slide shut behind him, "First of all, Commander Spock, how did you get these injuries?" he asked in a concerned voice, shocked by how battered Spock seemed to be.

"I was at the Copernicus Village Medical Center waiting for Lieutenant Pike to be deemed stable enough for transport to Vulcan and I was attacked by a mentally unstable patient who had escaped while undergoing his initial assessment," Spock explained tonelessly. "Luckily, the patient was subdued."

Leonard nodded, reached into the medical bag, and pulled out a medical tricorder, "How do you feel?" he asked in a professional voice as he ran the tricorder over Spock's body. "Readings are erratic."

"Physically, I am in a moderate stage of discomfort," Spock replied tonelessly. "Lieutenant Pike assured me, however, that you are a competent physician and would be able to attend to my injuries."

Leonard looked up at Arianne, "If Lieutenant Pike insists on hanging around while I patch you up, she should at least sit down since she does have taped up ribs," he said in a firm, but gentle voice.

Arianne sighed and slowly sat down in the chair next to the couch, "I'll tell you right now that your ankle will need an x-ray at Starfleet Medical," Leonard explained, looking down at Spock. "Lieutenant Pike did a nice job of wrapping your ankle, but it's so badly swollen that I'm not going to risk touching it here."

"I understand," Spock replied tonelessly, wincing as Leonard gently touched his bruised face. "Oh…"

Arianne sighed tiredly, but didn't move, "Lieutenant Pike, you require rest and nourishment," Spock stated, well aware that Arianne was putting up a brave front so that he wouldn't be alone.

"It's only 1600 H," Arianne replied sleepily as she gazed at the chronometer above the front window.

Leonard scowled, "At least take a nap in that chair if you insist on staying," he said in a firm voice.

Arianne nodded and laid back to ease the pressure in her ribs. As she closed her eyes, she could hear Leonard asking Spock questions and Spock responding in a faint, but very coherent voice.

The day had been much too long for her and full of things she would have rather had more time to do, but Starfleet was all about order, regulations, and promptness. At least she had endured her debriefing well.

* * *

"Arianne, wake up," a gruff, yet very gentle voice said. "It's time for me to take you to your dad's."

Arianne sighed sleepily, but didn't open her eyes, "Len, I'm so comfortable here," she replied tiredly.

There was silence and Arianne opened her eyes to find Leonard standing beside the chair with his arms crossed and she saw that the couch was empty, "It's 20:00 and the meeting's been over for a couple of hours," Leonard explained, giving Arianne time to fully wake up. "I was finally able to get a hold of Doctor Harriman to come and examine Commander Spock since she left the debriefing early and she got him to Starfleet Medical for a better examination. We should really get you back to your dad's…"

"Len, where's Jim?" Arianne asked, a realization suddenly coming to her mind. "Contact him."

Even though Leonard was confused by Arianne's request, he pulled out his communicator and opened it, "Jim, this is Leonard," he said in a clear, concise voice. "Arianne asked me to check on you. You there?"

"Bones, I'm at our dorm," Jim's voice replied in a tired voice. "Pavel went back to Medical for the night."

Arianne frowned and slowly stood up, "Len, something about Jim sounds off," she said worriedly.

"You just got out of the hospital this afternoon and you want to go visit Jim?" Leonard asked worriedly.

Arianne nodded, "Something's wrong, I can feel it," she replied worriedly as she winced. "Len, please."

"You know I can't resist when you ask so nicely," Leonard replied gently. "As long as you walk slowly."

Arianne smiled and slowly left Spock's quiet residence with Leonard holding tight to her hand.

* * *

The dorm was dark when Arianne and Leonard entered it, "Computer, lights," Leonard ordered in a commanding voice that was filled with worry. "Jim's gonna be mad if we end up waking him…"

As light filled the dorm, Arianne spotted a stylus on the couch, "What's this?" she asked in a confused voice as she slowly walked over to the couch and picked up the stylus. "According to the article on here, a Doctor Sam Kirk and Aurelan Morrow got married in Atlanta, Georgia this afternoon and a Winona Kirk is quoted as saying that she's so proud of her only son for making a good civilian life for himself…"

"Does it mention Jim anywhere?" Leonard asked as he came up behind her and peered at the stylus.

Arianne shook her head and threw the stylus back on the couch, "Jim, are you in here?" she called out.

A drunken belch suddenly erupted and Arianne slowly walked into Jim's small bedroom only to find Jim on the floor and huddled in the corner with a large bottle of amber liquid in hand, "Hey, Rianne, did you come to join me?" Jim asked in a slurred voice as he looked up and saw her. "I just needed a drink…"

"I know, Jim," Arianne replied softly as she offered her hand to him. "Can you take my hand?"

Jim belched again, but took her hand in an unsteady grip, "Don't tell Captain Pike," he slurred as he allowed Arianne to help him to his feet. "Today was Sam's wedding and I just thought I'd look in the news to see if there was anything about it. I didn't expect to see that Winona had said that stuff…"

"You don't need any more of that, Jim," Arianne replied gently as she took the bottle from Jim's hand and was about to guide him to the bed when she spotted Leonard's portable medkit on the floor near Jim's bed with a small bottle of sleeping pills open. "Jim, how many sleeping pills did you take?"

Leonard swore loudly and hurried into the room, "Please tell me that you didn't mix sleeping pills and alcohol, you infant," he hissed, his eyes widening as he saw the open bottle. "Jim, how many…?"

"Just one," Jim slurred as he sank down on his bed. "I think I threw it up like half an hour ago…"

Rolling his eyes, Leonard grabbed his tricorder out of the kit and scanned Jim with it, "I'm not detecting any drugs in your system, Jim," he replied in a concerned voice, suddenly spotting a puddle of vomit in the corner closest to the bathroom that had one pill in it, "You couldn't keep it down, could you?"

"Whiskey's strong," was all Jim slurred as he looked up at Leonard and Arianne. "Can I have a shower?"

Leonard bit on his lip so hard that it bled, "No, but Arianne and I will change you into your pajamas and put you right to bed," he replied in a concerned voice. "If you let me give you an IV, I won't tell anyone."

"Riiight," Jim slurred as he removed his undershirt and threw it on the floor. "I don't need pajamas."

Leonard sighed and grabbed a portable dripbox out of the kit that he kept on hand for emergencies, "Lie down and I'll give you some fluids," he said with a sigh in his voice. "Arianne, please help Jim into bed."

"C'mon, Jim, I'll tuck you in," Arianne said in a gentle voice as she walked to the front of the bed and turned the Academy-issue bed covers down. "Can you crawl up here for me please? I can't reach you."

Even though Jim had drunk half a bottle of whiskey, he nodded and obediently climbed up the bed as if he were completely sober, "I'm sorry for getting drunk, Arianne," he spoke softly. "That was stupid."

"Jim, it's okay," Arianne replied gently as she gently covered his body. "Just get some sleep, okay?"

As Jim dozed off, Leonard quickly unearthed one of Jim's arms and hooked up the portable dripbox before Jim had a chance to react, "Len, I'll just comm my father and tell him that I'm hanging out here tonight," Arianne said in a tired voice as she walked over to the doorway. "I won't tell him about Jim."

There was silence as Arianne left the room and a few minutes later, Leonard could hear her talking on the vid-terminal with Captain Pike, "…Dad, I'm going to stay here tonight with Leonard and Jim," she said in a soft, but determined voice. "…Okay…I promise that I'll get rest and come there tomorrow…"

A moment later, Arianne came back into the room and immediately sank into the soft chair that was next to Jim's desk, "I'm so glad term starts in two weeks," she said, gazing tiredly at Leonard.

Leonard nodded as he watched Jim sleep; hopefully, fall term would bring them all back to sanity.

* * *

_**Please review so I feel motivated to continue!**_


	33. September 2257: Unexpected Consequences

_**September 2257**_

_**Flight Practice Range – San Francisco, California – 1100 H**_

"This is Lieutenant Pike of the Shuttlecraft Galaxy requesting permission to land on the training runway," Arianne said as she tapped the comm button that was right next to the Helm controls. "Respond."

Pavel sighed, "Zey vill respond," he replied calmly as he began inputting the commands for descent.

"I'm sorry, Pavel," Arianne replied apologetically, gazing at her friend. "I just want you to pass this."

Pavel nodded, but kept his gaze straight ahead, "I vill pass," he replied calmly. "Do not worry."

"Roger that, Shuttlecraft Galaxy," a gruff voice stated. "You are granted permission to land."

Arianne sighed, "Go ahead and land, Pavel," she replied gently. "I hope you get a good grade."

Pavel grinned and headed towards the runway with ease and at an appropriate speed, "Piloting exam complete," an automated voice spoke as the shuttle hit the runway and automatically shut down.

"Attention, Cadet Chekov and Lieutenant Pike, please report to the main hangar bay for efficiency debriefing," a commanding voice spoke over the intercom. "Technicians will inspect your shuttle…"

Pavel sighed, "Sank you so much for helping me, Arianne," he spoke as he undid his safety belt and got out of the pilot's chair. "I had asked Hikaru, but he vas snapped up to help at ze Kobyashi Maru…"

"I can't believe Jim wanted to take that test again," Arianne replied amusedly. "Once was enough…"

As Arianne stood up, Pavel chortled, "Zat Ensign Quirk is wery funny vith his persistence," he commented in an amused voice that quietly faded away. "He reminds me of my own self."

Even though she hadn't been privy to information from Pavel's sessions with Dr. Harriman, Arianne nodded and smiled reassuringly at Pavel as they disembarked from the shuttle. Together, they silently walked into the hangar bay and Arianne was surprised to see her father standing at the console.

"Vat is my grade, sir?" Pavel asked nervously, anxious to know whether or not he had passed piloting.

Chris sighed and looked at the stylus he was holding, "Cadet Chekov, I've been ordered by Admiral Barnett to escort you to Starfleet Medical immediately," he explained somberly. "We have to…"

"I vant Lieutenant Pike wiz me," Pavel replied nervously, not caring that he was interrupting.

Arianne suddenly felt frightened, but retained a neutral facial expression, "All right," Chris said in a calm voice as a transport cart manned by a Security officer suddenly came into the hangar bay. "Lieutenant?"

"If someone could inform Commander Harriman and Professor Khan that I will be absent from their classes this afternoon, I will accompany Cadet Chekov to Starfleet Medical," Arianne replied calmly.

Chris nodded and silently gestured to the transport cart. Pavel suddenly began to tremble and quickly grabbed hold of Arianne's hand to keep himself steady. Arianne sighed and gently led Pavel over to the cart, slightly mollified to see that Mitchell was driving it. Mitchell gave Arianne and Pavel a timid smile.

"It's a job to keep me from hanging out with Finnegan so much," Mitchell explained, immediately catching Arianne's slightly confused expression. "He's turning into a reckless little practical joker…"

Chris cleared his throat, "Cadet Mitchell, you were hired to transport goods and people around the Academy campus, not make small talk," he commented in an unusually commanding voice.

"My apologies, sir," Mitchell replied, gazing at Arianne and Pavel. "If you two would get aboard…"

Since Pavel was trembling uncontrollably, Arianne gently helped him into the transport cart, helped him to sit, and carefully buckled him in before doing up her own seatbelt. Chris sighed and silently climbed on to a seat that was on the back of the transport, making sure to buckle up before it took off.

* * *

**_Morgue - Starfleet Medical_**

"Vhy are ve here?" Pavel asked, clinging to Arianne's hand as he followed Chris into a room with white walls that had a covered body on a large metal table where a somber looking Dr. Puri was standing.

Chris sighed and looked at Dr. Puri, who was holding a stylus, "Cadet Chekov, around 2100 last night, I got a message from the Copernicus Village Medical Center," Dr. Puri explained in a somber voice as he watched Pavel cling to Arianne. "Doctor Sonak reported that Professor Khan had brought a severely mentally ill patient to the facility four weeks ago and had signed himself on as the patient's attending physician, claiming that he alone knew how to handle the case. The patient died at 20:00 last night and Professor Khan promptly fled the medical facility to parts unknown. That patient was Andrei Chekov…"

"Nyet, my fazzer is on ze run," Pavel replied in a nervous voice. "He l-left me to die on a wery cold…"

Dr. Puri sighed and gently turned back the sheet, revealing the badly battered face and neck of an older man that bore a remarkable resemblance to Pavel, "Nyet," Pavel whispered in a horrified voice as he released Arianne's hand and sank to his knees. "I cannot believe zat my fazzer died in a hospital…"

As Pavel started to sob, Chris gently touched Arianne's arm, "Lieutenant Pike, a word," he whispered.

Swallowing hard, Arianne nodded and went into the corridor with her father, "Due to this incident, Command has determined it necessary to open an investigation on Professor Khan and the methods he used while he taught at the Academy," Chris explained in a low voice. "According to Doctor Sonak, there is considerable evidence that Professor Khan was involved in the death of Andrei Chekov, but…"

"What will this investigation involve exactly?" Arianne asked softly. "Why are you telling me this?"

Chris sighed again, "Every cadet or commissioned officer who took a class or any sort of private tutorials from Professor Khan will be required to meet with both a member of Academy Command and a counselor from Starfleet Medical to discuss everything that Professor Khan has done over the past year," he explained in a somber voice. "This is the worst crisis that has rocked Starfleet since the bombing last year that killed hundreds and very few have experience in handling crises like you…"

"Let me guess, Starfleet Command wants me to be one of the counselors assigned to talking to cadets and commissioned officers?" Arianne asked in a serious voice. "I thought I wasn't trusted to do so…"

Chris scoffed, "Admiral Archer's grudge against you is more personal than anything and you and I both know that," he replied calmly. "Besides, Admiral Barnett and the other members of both Starfleet Command and Academy Command know you're a qualified counselor and can take this assignment."

"I was also one of Professor Khan's students, though," Arianne explained. "How can I do both?"

Dr. Puri knelt down beside Pavel and talked quietly to him, but Chris didn't take his attention off of Arianne, "You'll meet with Commander Spock privately while Academy Command holds an assembly to explain the situation to the other cadets," Chris stated softly. "For now, though, can you stay here?"

Arianne nodded and was about to speak when Dr. Puri helped Pavel to his feet and gently led him out of the morgue. Pavel's eyes were filled with tears and his face was red from crying, so he didn't speak.

"I've convinced Pavel to let me take him upstairs and give him a little shot to induce sleep," Dr. Puri stated in a calming voice, holding tightly to Pavel's trembling body. "Captain Pike, with your permission, I want to admit Pavel overnight for observation just to give him a little time and space from everyone."

Chris nodded, "Make sure Pavel eats something before you give him medicine for sleep," he replied in a commanding voice, sighing as Dr. Puri nodded and escorted Pavel away. "Who is Pavel's roommate?"

"Cadet Hikaru Sulu," Arianne replied softly. "Both he and Pavel are doubling in Command and Ops."

Chris sighed, "Okay, here's what's going to happen," he said. "Go to Commander Spock's office at Starfleet Command and stay with him until the assembly is over. He's expecting a visit from you."

"Yes sir," Arianne replied, relieved that she could avoid the assembly about Professor Khan.

* * *

**_Commander Spock's Office – Starfleet Command –1300 H_**

"Lieutenant Pike reporting as ordered, Commander Spock," Arianne spoke respectfully as the door slid open and she saw Spock sitting in a soft chair in the corner of his office near his well-stocked bookshelf with his casted ankle resting on an ottoman while he had a stylus in his hand. A pair of Starfleet Medical issue crutches leaned against the top of the chair while a dark overcoat was draped over them.

Spock nodded and tapped a few buttons on his stylus before looking up at Arianne, "You are welcome to sit in the chair across from where I am sitting," he spoke tonelessly. "It is rather difficult for me to get back to my desk at the moment. Also, I request that we dispense of official formalities while talking."

"Okay," Arianne replied as she closed the door, walked over to the chair, and sat down. "Now what?"

Spock quickly tapped on his stylus again, "From this point forward, our conversation will be recorded and submitted to Starfleet Command for their investigation," he explained tonelessly. "You were a student of Professor Khan's from September 2256 to April of 2257; is that record accurate?"

"Yes," Arianne replied calmly. "I was a student in his 'Finer Points of Survival' lecture and practical classes during that time. He also came to me on several occasions seeking professional counseling."

Spock's eyes narrowed, but he nodded, "Due to the circumstances, Lieutenant, I must request that you break doctor-patient confidentiality rules," he stated tonelessly. "For the purpose of this investigation, I must ask about the discussions and if he initiated any inappropriate or unprofessional contact with you."

Arianne swallowed hard before sighing, "The first time Professor Khan came to see me, it was in January of 2257 and it was concerning a failed course of mental health treatment that he had attempted to put Jocelyn Darnell through at a mental health facility in the Orient," she explained, silently praying that Leonard would forgive her if he ever found out about this. "Professor Khan requested hospitalization."

Spock nodded, but didn't speak, "At Professor Khan's request, I escorted him to the medical area of Starfleet Medical and turned him over to Doctor Harriman for care," Arianne continued, trying very hard to keep her voice steady. "I'm guessing Professor Khan told Doctor McCoy about the treatments…"

"Your assumption is logical," Spock replied tonelessly as he made a note. "Please continue if you can."

Arianne nodded, "The next time we really conversed was in February 2257 at the party celebrating the upcoming training cruise," she stated, recalling her memories. "Professor Khan reminded me of my exemplary skills and how they would prove useful when the training cruise actually got underway."

An uneasy feeling suddenly came over Arianne, "During the training cruise, Cadet Chekov was teased and beaten up by some older cadets and Professor Khan promised that he would handle it," she explained nervously. "Professor Khan made me leave Pavel with Doctor Harriman and then insisted that I accompany him to the Bridge; once there, he ordered me to take command for the rest of the night."

"You are stating that Professor Khan intimidated you into accompanying him to the Bridge and that he also intimidated you into taking command of the Farragut for the entire night?" Spock, who was deeply appalled that Arianne had been deprived of sleep in order to fulfill a request of Professor Khan's, asked.

Arianne nodded and cringed, "Professor Khan was the sort of man you couldn't say no to even if you felt uncomfortable with any requests he made," she replied uneasily. "After Doctor McCoy found out the truth about his ex-wife's death, I confronted Professor Khan privately in his office and he told the truth in a way that indicated that he wasn't remorseful. He seemed to be, but I just got a bad feeling…"

"Such feelings are logical in this situation," Spock commented tonelessly. "I will not elaborate on names, Lieutenant, but you are not the first to express concern about Professor Khan and his unusual methods."

Arianne swallowed hard, "There was a class exercise in October 2256 in which Professor Khan forced Serij to initiate a mind meld with me that triggered various memories," she stated in an uneasy voice, silently cursing herself for forgetting that class. "I'm not sure if Professor Khan is dangerous or not."

"That is what the investigation will determine," Spock stated as he pressed a button on the stylus that would end the recording. "The official part of our discussion is now complete; is there anything…?"

Arianne sighed and shook her head, "I'm supposed to remain in your company until after the assembly is over," she replied softly, just wanting to get away for a while. "I'm not supposed to be at the…"

"Remaining in my company does not necessarily mean that we have to remain in my office," Spock commented as he removed the coat from his crutches and tossed it on the floor. "To my knowledge, the assembly has been scheduled for 1500 H so that the day's classes are not disrupted. If you are uncomfortable with remaining on campus, I can show you a place that would calm your nerves."

Nodding, Arianne got to her feet and immediately picked Spock's coat up off the floor, "How much longer are you supposed to be on crutches for, Spock?" she asked worriedly, wincing as Spock grabbed his crutches and forced himself to his feet. "We don't have to go far if it's hard for you to travel."

"I can manage sufficiently," Spock replied tonelessly as he hobbled towards the door. "Please, follow me."

Never one to distrust Spock's words, Arianne nodded and kept silent as she followed him out of the office.

* * *

**_Aquatic Museum – San Francisco, California – 1430_**

It was only two blocks from the Academy campus, but it had been around ever since the closing of the Sanctuary Districts of the older era and had been built to serve as a reminder of social unity. It was one of many buildings that had small plaques imprinted on the cornerstones describing the horrors of days gone by and it also expressed hopes that days like that would never be seen again on Earth.

Instead of looking at the aged building, however, Spock had escorted Arianne into the museum and they had spent time looking at the various tanks containing aquatic life from both Earth and other planets that were allied with the Federation. After nearly an hour, Arianne had seen discomfort in Spock's face and, assuming he needed to rest his ankle, she had suggested that they get lunch from the cafeteria.

Now, as Spock sat at a corner table with his ankle propped up on a padded booth seat, Arianne lingered at the buffet counter waiting for her and Spock's food to be prepared. She had ordered a light vegetable broth for Spock and had ordered stew and biscuits for herself, both of which took a bit of time to make.

Letting out a distressed sigh, Arianne moved back to the table, "They'll call our order number when the food's ready," she commented in a tired voice as she sat down across the table from Spock. "How's…?"

"My ankle is functioning as well as it can in a cast," Spock replied tonelessly. "Lieutenant, I must confess that I was not entirely honest with you about how I became injured. I said that a patient had injured me, but the patient was scared and I was attempting to use words to calm the situation when Professor Khan used brute force to subdue the patient. I chastised Professor Khan for his poor handling of the crisis and he engaged in combat with me almost immediately. I was fortunate not to have been…"

Arianne looked slightly uncomfortable at hearing that, but didn't say a word, "Spock, is Professor Khan fully human?" she asked in a quiet, slightly frightened voice. "Humans could not defeat Vulcans in…"

"I am not entirely certain," Spock replied tonelessly. "However, this is not the time or place to be…"

Suddenly, Spock went quiet as a figure in a cloak with the hood up entered the cafeteria and slowly walked to the counter. The worker behind the counter immediately let out a quiet gasp of horror.

"Sir, what happened to you?" Spock and Arianne heard the worker ask in a horrified voice.

The figure let out a cough, "I was injured by a man whom I thought was a trusted friend and academic superior," a pain-filled voice replied. "I do not remember anything before waking up outside…"

"Serij?" Arianne asked, suddenly recognizing the figure's voice as she stood up. "Is that you, Serij?"

Spock frowned as Serij turned around and lowered his hood, revealing a battered face, a swollen eye, and chalk white skin, "Lieutenant Pike, Commander Spock," Serij spoke softly. "I was not expecting…"

"Where did you acquire such injuries, Serij?" Spock asked as he lowered his foot, grabbed his crutches, and forced himself into a standing position. "Professor Khan had sent you off-planet to research…"

Serij trembled angrily and sank to his knees, "Do not speak to me about that monster," he replied in an unusually angry and pain-filled voice as he hugged himself. "Professor Khan attempted to murder me."

For once, Spock was speechless and watched as Arianne walked over to Serij, "May I take care of some of those cuts, Serij?" she asked softly as she knelt down, reached into the shoulder bag she had been wearing since before her flight with Pavel, and pulled out a small med-kit. "It'll help you feel better."

"Lieutenant Pike, Serij's appearance must remain like that until after he meets with Starfleet Security and an official report has been filed with both Starfleet and the Vulcan Embassy," Spock interjected.

Serij cringed, but said nothing as Spock awkwardly reached into his pocket and pulled out his communicator. Arianne, however, kept her eyes focused on Serij to ensure that he stayed awake.

* * *

_**Counseling Office – Starfleet Medical – 1600 H**_

The door chime sounded and Arianne looked up from the stylus where she had been scheduling various cadets and commissioned officers for counseling appointments, "Come in," she said commandingly.

Arianne's eyes widened when the door slid open and Marla was standing there in her cadet reds with an uncomfortable expression on her face, "Cadet McGivers, do you have an appointment scheduled?" she asked, immediately concerned at how upset Marla looked. "Would you like to come in for a moment?"

"I don't have an appointment," Marla replied as she entered the office and closed the door behind her. "I understand that you're very busy, Arianne, but can we talk for just a minute as fellow cadets?"

Arianne nodded and gestured to the chair across from her temporary desk, "I heard that Professor Khan's being investigated for being potentially dangerous," Marla explained as she sat down in the empty chair and clasped her hands together nervously. "I had been seeking tutoring from him…"

An uneasy feeling filled Arianne's heart, but she kept quiet, "He told me that I was a formidable woman and that my potential extended far beyond the Academy," Marla explained as her eyes began to fill with tears and she looked at her lap. "He taught me many things about leadership and also convinced me that passion should be acted upon while it's still fresh in people's minds and hearts. That being said…"

"Marla, teacher-student relationships are merely frowned upon, not altogether banned at the Academy," Arianne cut in, wondering why Marla was even talking to her. "Relationships are healthy…"

Marla sighed, "At the end of last month, Professor Khan told me that he would be leaving for parts unknown and made me swear never to tell anyone," she stated nervously. "He gave me a shot of something and then made me go back to the dormitory. The next thing I knew, he had left campus."

Arianne suddenly looked very somber and Marla began to cry, "I've felt sick and lethargic ever since he left and I have no idea why," Marla said in a trembling voice. "Please, Arianne, you've got to help me."

"What do you mean when you say Professor Khan gave you a shot of something?" Arianne asked softly.

Marla sighed and put her hands over her stomach as if she were trying to protect it from harm, "When I last spoke to him, I mentioned that I was anxious about school and it was then that he told me he wasn't returning to the Academy. He gave me a needle filled with what he called a last gift…"

Swallowing hard, Arianne sighed, "Marla, I have no choice but to turn this matter over to Starfleet Security and let them conduct a more detailed interview," she replied as she stood up and walked around the desk. "I'm professionally obligated to take such comments seriously and I…"

Marla suddenly stood up, snarled, and lunged at Arianne, "You can't!" she screeched in an unusually anxious voice as she slammed and pinned Arianne against the wall. "Professor Khan made me…"

Arianne grunted and pushed Marla back, nearly knocking her to the floor, "I've taken Advanced Combat, Marla, or have you forgotten?" she asked in a defensive voice. "Now settle down, or else I'll call…"

"Professor Khan knew you would react this way," Marla replied scathingly as she rolled her sleeve down and got right back into Arianne's face, snarling when Arianne dodged her and went around the desk.

Not willing to allow herself to be intimidated by a hysterical cadet even if it was a friend, Arianne quickly pressed the emergency comm-link, "Lieutenant Pike to Security," she said in a commanding voice. "I need an armed Security officer in Counseling Office 2A. I also need an emergency transport to my…"

"You're not going anywhere!" Marla screeched as she picked up the chair she had just been sitting in, lifted it over her head quite easily. "You're going to get me out of here so that I'm not arrested!"

Before Arianne could figure out how to reply, Marla hurled the chair at the wall and it barely missed hitting Arianne, instead putting a rather large hole in the thin wall. Marla screamed hysterically, picked up the stylus from Arianne's desk, and threw it directly at Arianne's head with intense power.

The stylus slammed into Arianne's head hard, but Arianne merely winced and watched it drop to the floor with a deafening crack just as the door opened and Finnegan and Hendorff came into the room.

"Escort Cadet McGivers to Starfleet Security, put her in a holding cell, and contact Starfleet Command immediately," Arianne ordered in a toneless voice as she suddenly felt something warm and sticky running down her face. "When that's done, contact someone from maintenance to come and fix…"

Marla suddenly broke free from Finnegan and Hendorff and took off out of the office, "Finnegan, go after her and call for backup!" Hendorff shouted as Finnegan hurried after Marla. "Lieutenant Pike…"

"I've got lots of appointments this afternoon and this evening, Hendorff, so please request that someone from Medical come here to treat me," Arianne replied in a pain-filled voice as she pressed her hand against the wound and slowly moved towards Hendorff. "I also need to talk to a Security officer…"

Hendorff nodded and, taking Arianne's arm, he gently helped her out of the office and immediately put a Security lock on the door. They walked a short distance to where a small waiting area was and Arianne immediately maneuvered herself into one of the soft chairs. Hendorff sighed and gave her a look.

"Don't even start with me," Arianne snapped as she suddenly felt the blood stop. "It stopped."

Hendorff sighed and cringed as Arianne stood up, "I'm fine," she said in a steadier voice even though she was shocked by what had just taken place between her and Marla. "I just want to go back to my dorm."

Even though Hendorff wanted to insist to Arianne that she stay put, he nodded, "I'll walk you there," he offered in a concerned voice, offering his arm. "Captain Pike is going to kill me if he finds out about…"

"Just blame me," Arianne replied gently as she took his arm and they hurried down a back corridor.

* * *

_**Dormitory – Boyce Hall – 1700 H**_

Steri-strips and a bloodstained gauze pad out of Christine's Medical kit did a good enough job of covering the gash, Arianne thought as she gazed at her face in the bathroom mirror. Hendorff was standing guard out in the hall and she was standing in her bathroom trying to clean her face off.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Arianne threw the wet cloth that was now covered with dried blood into the sink and moved out into the common area. She knew that she was most likely in trouble, but, for once in her life, she didn't care. A sudden chime, however, quickly interrupted Arianne's thoughts.

"Hendorff, I thought I told you not to let anyone in here!" Arianne snapped in a tired voice as she walked across the dorm, opened the door, and gaped at seeing Jim standing there holding a medical kit. "Jim?"

Jim sighed, "Bones is still being talked to by Command about Professor Khan, I think," he replied as he came into the dorm without being invited. "I was about to go off campus for a drink when I heard from Finnegan that some cadet went ballistic in your office and threw some stuff at you. I swiped this med-kit from underneath Bones's bed and decided to come over to check on you. How are you feeling?"

"Let me guess, the Kobyashi Maru didn't go so well?" Arianne asked softly as she closed the door.

Jim shrugged, "I'll study some more and take it again in the spring," he replied non-chalantly, frowning at the bandage on Arianne's head. "It's still bleeding pretty badly, Arianne; did you check the wound?"

"It'll keep until I decide to go to Medical," Arianne replied in a tired voice. "I just needed some space."

Jim's eyes widened, but he nodded and was about to speak when the door chime sounded again, "Jim, are you in here?!" an annoyed voice suddenly spoke. "I know what happened and I want my kit back."

Arianne sighed, rolled her eyes, and promptly opened the door, revealing an irate looking Leonard standing there in his cadet uniform, "So, I guess the rumors around campus are true," he commented as he entered the dorm. "I was finishing with Captain Pike when I heard that Finnegan and some senior Security officer arrested Cadet McGivers for attacking a counselor and destroying a counseling office…"

"Wow, Cadet McGivers?" Jim asked in a shocked voice. "Arianne, isn't Marla like your roommate?"

Swallowing hard, Arianne kept silent as she sat on the chair near the door, "Doctor McCoy, please stitch me up and get out of here so I can get some rest," she said in a borderline irritated voice. "Please."

"Do I have to leave too?" Jim asked as Leonard gently removed the bandages from Arianne's forehead.

Arianne sighed, "No," she replied calmly, wincing as Leonard touched her forehead with a gloved hand.

"There's still glass in the wound," Leonard stated calmly. "Go and lie down on the couch so I can…"

From that point on, Arianne was numb; she remembered going over to the couch, having a drape put over her face by Leonard so that he could take care of the cut. Arianne was aware of being given some meds to relax her during treatment and as Leonard worked on her head and Jim talked, she fell asleep.

* * *

_**Starfleet Academy – 1100 H**_

"Welcome to the first class of Interspecies Protocol," Commander Harriman stated firmly.

Even though Arianne was exhausted and had a multitude of appointments with cadets that afternoon, she kept her focus on the front of the classroom, "…In light of the recent situation with Professor Khan, Starfleet Command has thought it necessary for all cadets to relearn rules, regulations, and customs for interaction between alien species and Starfleet personnel," Commander Harriman stated as he stood at attention. "For our first class, we are very privileged to have a guest lecturer; Admiral Jonathan Archer."

Murmurs filled the classroom as the door opened and Admiral Archer came into the room with Phlox at his heels, "Greetings, students, my name is Admiral Jonathan Archer and I'm one of the head-honchos at Starfleet Command," Admiral Archer stated in a commanding voice as his eyes travelled across the crowd of cadets facing him. "I'm also one of the first in Starfleet to have had multiple experiences interacting with individuals of various species'. Now, as an initial exercise to see if you are all worth your salt as your records say, I want each of you to write an essay stating why you think this class is important and it's due by the end of class. I know it's a heavy assignment, but this class did start two weeks late…"

Arianne sighed and quickly began to write a small essay out on the PADD she kept for classes; she had woken up in her dorm at 0700 that morning only to find a tray of breakfast food on the coffee table, a note from both Jim and Leonard, and a blanket covering her body. After eating, Arianne had gotten a message from her father that he would soon need to go to the Enterprise to review the layout.

Now, instead of resting before her counseling appointments that afternoon, Arianne found herself writing a brief essay on why she thought Interspecies Protocol was important, "Lieutenant Pike, how are you feeling?" she suddenly heard Commander Harriman ask softly. "I heard about what happened…"

"I'm tired, but I've got a lot to do today," Arianne replied softly as she finished her essay and held up the PADD for Commander Harriman to look at. "I finished the essay, sir. What should I do next?"

Commander Harriman raised an eyebrow, took the PADD, and silently studied it, "Impressive," he commented in a quiet, yet amused voice as he returned the PADD to her. "What's your schedule?"

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne saved her essay, filed it away, and pulled up another file that held her class schedule for that semester. She handed the PADD back to Commander Harriman, who sighed.

"Advanced Command and Medical courses?" Commander Harriman asked in a slightly amused voice as he studied her schedule. "Lieutenant Pike, I daresay that you are becoming as ambitious as your father."

Arianne smiled as Commander Harriman returned her PADD and silently walked off to another row of seats to see how the other students were doing with their essays. A quick look down the row told Arianne that Jim, Leonard, Hikaru, Christine, Mitchell, Finnegan, Hendorff, and several other cadets that she knew were also in the class and looking both intrigued and confused about the class.

A loud chime suddenly sounded as the chronometer switched to 1200 H, "Class, please submit your essays before you leave for lunch," Commander Harriman stated as he moved back to the front of the classroom and placed his hands behind his back. "Secondly, let's thank Admiral Archer for his visit."

As applause filled the classroom, Arianne quickly submitted her essay into Commander Harriman's email address, got up, and silently left the classroom to avoid the crowd. She wanted to grab lunch for not only herself, but also for Pavel; she hadn't seen him since yesterday and she wondered how he was.

* * *

**_Cafeteria - Starfleet Medical – 1230_**

"Nyet, I am not hungry," Pavel replied tonelessly, turning in his wheelchair as he looked away from the bowl of soup that Chris was offering him while a concerned Dr. Harriman looked on. "I cannot eat."

Chris sighed, set the bowl back on the table, and looked to Lara helplessly, "Pavel, your father's death was not your fault," Dr. Harriman stated softly as she moved closer to the table. "He was killed…"

"I should hawe kipt my mouth shut about ze abuse," Pavel muttered as he gazed sadly at his lap.

There was a soft gasp, "Pavel, were you ever alone with Professor Khan during the training cruise on the Farragut?" Arianne asked as she walked into view holding two small food containers. "Did you tell…?"

"It vas vhile you vere on ze Bridge," Pavel replied as he looked up at Arianne. "Professor Khan inwited me to go for a jog on ze Rec Deck and vhile ve vere jogging, he asked me to tell him vhy I vas so jumpy and I could not help myself. I told him about how Keptin Pike rescued me from my bad fazzer and…"

Tears filled Pavel's eyes and he quickly covered his hands with his face so that the tears would not get all over the civvies that Chris had lent him, "Pavel, listen to me, you did not kill your father," Arianne replied softly as she knelt down next to the wheelchair. "You merely told someone who you thought trustworthy about it and Professor Khan, for whatever reason, decided to murder your father."

"I am being silly," Pavel said in a tired voice as he lowered his hands. "I vill soon be sixteen and I…"

Arianne smiled at Pavel, "Maybe we should do something special for your birthday," she suggested, hoping to take Pavel's mind off his troubles. "Lots of cadets are wondering if you are okay."

"Zat's nice," Pavel replied, a small smile appearing on his pale face. "Keptin Pike, I am hungry…"

Chris nodded and smiled as Arianne stood up and handed a food container, "I wish I could stay, Pavel, but I've got to eat and get my stuff for my next class," Arianne said in a gentle voice. "I can get the notes and homework from today's Command classes if you'd like me to. I'm not sure how I can get the Ops…"

"Hikaru vill bring it if I ask," Pavel replied softly, gazing up at Arianne. "Sank you for coming to see me."

Arianne nodded and smiled at Pavel, her father, and Dr. Harriman before she left the cafeteria. As she walked down the hallway towards the exit, she was surprised to see Dr. Puri step out of a patient room with a concerned expression on his face, "Lieutenant Pike, do you have a moment?" he asked softly.

"Yes, Doctor Puri, what can I help you with?" Arianne asked as she stopped and looked at him.

Dr. Puri sighed, "I got a call from Starfleet Security at about 0500 this morning that Cadet McGivers had collapsed in her holding cell," he explained in a concerned voice. "I responded, examined her, and found her to be massively dehydrated and almost lethargic enough to lapse into a coma. After getting authorization from Command, I transferred her here and ran some tests that proved very interesting…"

"What is her current condition?" Arianne whispered, wondering what harm Professor Khan had caused.

Swallowing hard, Dr. Puri reached into his pocket, pulled out a PADD, and showed it to Arianne, "Apparently, Professor Khan injected Cadet McGivers with sperm and it did its work," he explained in a somber voice. "I told Admiral Archer that Cadet McGivers was suffering from the flu, but I have to…"

"Protect the patient and their privacy," Arianne finished softly. "Lecture two from Medical Ethics."

Dr. Puri nodded, "Now, obviously Cadet McGivers cannot remain here because then she'd be seen as a danger to the security of Starfleet because of Professor Khan's actions and the potential crisis his genetics may cause," he stated in a somber voice. "However, with my authorization and that of a qualified Starfleet counselor, Cadet McGivers can be transferred elsewhere to finish the Academy."

"What does Cadet McGivers think of this idea?" Arianne asked softly. "Having to leave the Academy…"

Dr. Puri sighed, "I told her what would happen if she were to stay and she thinks that it's the best thing for her," he replied in a quiet voice. "Before I write out the transfer order citing medical reasons, Cadet McGivers wants to talk to you for a few minutes. I'll also be in the room with you, so don't worry."

Even though Arianne was nervous, she nodded and silently followed Dr. Puri into the room. She was relieved to see that Marla was in bed being restrained by a stasis field while drip-lines littered her arms and tiny hands, "Arianne, I'm sorry I threw the chair and stylus at you," Marla said in a faint voice, cringing at the sight of the bandage on Arianne's forehead. "I'm hoping you can forgive my actions."

"Of course," Arianne replied automatically, silently asserting that she could be professional even now.

Marla sighed, "Doctor Puri wants to send me off-planet for the time being," she explained weakly as she gently placed her hands over her flat stomach. "I was majoring in Command, but he thinks it'll be better for me to go into something that doesn't put so much stress on me. Do you think I'll be okay out there?"

"I hope so," Arianne replied calmly as she sighed deeply. "I'll support Doctor Puri's recommendation."

Marla nodded and looked down at her blanket, "Get some rest, Cadet McGivers," Dr. Puri said in a gentle voice as he gestured to the hallway. "Lieutenant Pike, let's take a bit of a walk, shall we?"

Swallowing hard, Arianne nodded and followed Dr. Puri from the room, "Under normal circumstances, Lieutenant Pike, I'd advise confidentiality," Dr. Puri said in a low voice as soon as the door was closed and they were a safe distance down the hallway. "However, I would encourage you to confide in your father about this situation. He's aware of the situation concerning Cadet McGivers and he will not go and reveal the truth about it to anyone. It's not healthy for you to keep this entirely to yourself."

"My father's supposed to be heading up to the Enterprise later today," Arianne commented in an anxious voice. "I'd go with him, but I have a few more classes this afternoon and counseling…"

Dr. Puri nodded, "If you can't confide in your father, confide in someone you can trust to keep this a secret and who you'd trust with your life," he said in a quiet voice. "Thank you for stopping by."

Understanding herself to be dismissed, Arianne nodded and silently left the Starfleet Medical building as fast as she could and didn't stop walking until she was safely back in her dorm. She only had a few people she could really trust with her life, but they all had classes and other important things to do.

However, as Arianne walked across the grass, she also knew that any one of those few people would drop whatever they could if she really needed to talk to them. Now was one of those special times.

Swallowing hard, Arianne took out her PADD and typed out a message to her father, expressing the desire to meet him up at the Orbital Shipyard for dinner that evening so that they could have a chat.

* * *

**_Orbital Shipyard – Canteen - 1900 H_**

Ignoring the look that the bartender was giving her for not ordering anything to drink, Arianne sighed as she received yet another text from Jim saying that AA was annoying, but that he was behaving. She quickly sent him a gentle, yet firm text that told him to pay attention and that she would contact him after she was back at the Academy. She then skimmed through her notes from that afternoon's classes.

"Arianne, sorry I'm late," Arianne suddenly heard her father say in a distressed voice as footsteps approached the corner table where she was sitting. "I had to do yet another detailed inspection."

Arianne nodded and looked up from her PADD, "I'm not sure that I'm cut out for Starfleet, Dad," she said in a soft, yet very somber voice. "Marla was transferred to Starfleet Medical and asked to see me."

Chris frowned, took a seat across the table, and kept silent as Arianne shared the story of her encounter with Marla and the promise she had made to Dr. Puri to help him send Marla away for the sake of the unborn child despite it carrying Professor Khan's genes, "Arianne, Doctor Puri already confided in me since he needed authorization from Command to pull this off. Everything will be well taken care of."

Arianne sighed and nodded, "Then I'll try not to worry about it anymore," she replied uncertainly.

"Good," Chris said in a calming voice as he smiled at Arianne. "What did you order for dinner?"

Arianne chuckled nervously, "I actually haven't ordered anything yet," she replied in an amused voice.

"Ah, so that's why the bartender is giving you a nasty look," Chris commented gently. "Can I order?"

Arianne nodded and Chris quickly motioned the bartender to come over to their table, "Chicken strips, onion rings, and two lemonades," Chris stated in a commanding voice as the bartender walked over.

"Aye sir, two portions of chicken strips and onion rings with two lemonades to drink coming up as soon as possible," the bartender replied anxiously, giving Arianne a very sour look as he walked away.

Chris sighed, "Whenever I have to eat up here, I usually bring something from Earth, but I didn't have a lot of time to do that today," he explained in an amused voice. "The Enterprise isn't supposed to have a formal christening ceremony and shakedown cruise until May, but it's supposed to have a lot of things on it that the other ships don't have; the Enterprise is going to be considered Starfleet's flagship."

"I'm hoping that I'll be able to get a decent assignment once I'm done the Academy, but I don't know how much my performance on the Farragut's training cruise will factor into Starfleet's decision of where to place me," Arianne commented in a worried voice. "Professor Khan was the one who was in charge…"

Chris cleared his throat and Arianne cringed, worried that she had said something inappropriate, "There was suspicion on Professor Khan before the training cruise due to his past and so, as a precautionary measure, the Academy placed Commander Spock in charge of evaluating all cadets involved in the training cruise," he explained in a low voice. "Starfleet will take those results into account when…"

Suddenly, the doors opened and Spock came into the canteen with a shoulder bag over one shoulder while trying to maneuver on his crutches, "Captain Pike, I apologize for interrupting your time with Lieutenant Pike," he said in a cautious voice as he slowly approached the table. "I thought that you would like to be informed, however, that the Vulcan High Command has chosen to actively participate into the investigation on Professor Khan due to the fact that he injured a ward of Ambassador Sarek's…"

"How is Serij doing, by the way?" Arianne asked, ignoring the shocked look her father was giving her.

Spock sighed, "Serij is under the care of Doctor Phlox at Starfleet Medical and will remain so until a representative from the Vulcan High Command can address the situation," he replied tonelessly as the bartender brought a tray containing two small portions of chicken strips, onion rings, and two small glasses of lemonade over to the table and set them down. "Have I interrupted your evening meal?"

"Spock, you are never a bother to my father or myself," Arianne replied calmly. "All right?"

Spock raised an eyebrow, but nodded silently, "Spock, why don't you join my father and I for dinner?" Arianne suggested, wondering if Spock was seeking company more than anything. "You're welcome…"

"It would be enjoyable to join you, but I will get my own sustenance," Spock replied tonelessly before he turned and walked over to the bar, missing the bartender's scowl as he hurried back over to the bar.

Chris sighed, but both he and Arianne were quiet until Spock had returned to the table with a bowl of pleomeek soup and cutlery in hand. Spock sat down at the table across from Arianne and set his bowl down before dipping the spoon into it. Exchanging a look, Chris and Arianne began to eat their food.

"Why don't I tell you both about the Enterprise?" Chris suggested, knowing that both Spock and Arianne needed a distraction from thinking about recent events. "I've been overseeing it since the beginning and it's going to be an amazing ship…"

As Chris talked, Arianne and Spock both alternated between listening attentively, eating as much as they could, and both allowing themselves a small chance to forget all the bad things that had happened to them and within Starfleet recently. Even with all that had happened, the integrity of Starfleet would prevail

* * *

_**Please read and review!**_


	34. October 2257: Experiments Gone Awry

**_October 2257_**

**_Library – Starfleet Academy – 1100 H_**

"…I cannae believe that me instructor wants me tae write an essay that describes me theory even though he thinks it's preposterous," Arianne heard Monty say in an annoyed voice as she entered the library study area and saw Monty, Pavel, Hikaru, Mitchell, Riley, and a cadet named Tomlinson gathered at one of the tables that had PADDs scattered all over the tabletop. "I don't want tae do another essay."

Riley chuckled, "Admiral Archer's not a guy you wanna mess around with, though," he commented, unaware that Arianne was standing at the bookshelf listening in. "You should just do the essay."

"Oy, zip it you leetle keener," Monty replied in a mock annoyed voice. "You've got all your stuff…."

Pavel suddenly saw Arianne and smiled, "Lieutenant Pike," he said in a cheerful voice. "Hello."

"I just came by to get a PADD and give Pavel his birthday present," Arianne replied calmly as she reached into the shoulder bag she had brought to carry PADDs and pulled out a small, colorfully wrapped box.

Pavel looked surprised as Arianne handed him the box, "Vat eez it?" he asked in a nervous voice.

"You've got to open it to find out," Arianne replied, smiling reassuringly at Pavel. "You'll like it."

Nodding, Pavel carefully unwrapped the box and removed the lid, revealing a small leather book that was titled 'The Book Of Pavel Andreivich Chekov' in a gold, heavily embossed font, "I haff newer written a book," Pavel said in a confused voice as he showed the book to Arianne. "Vat exactly ees zis?"

Chuckling, Arianne opened the book and showed it to Pavel, "This was your first photo taken of you as an official Starfleet cadet, Pavel," she explained, smiling as Pavel's eyes went wide at the photo of himself in a Starfleet cadet uniform with a healthy looking body and face. "It's a photo album."

Pavel's eyes went even wider as he took the book and turned the pages, each showing a different photo of him at the Academy or around San Francisco over the past year either by himself or with others, "We had such a time convincing ye that we were just taking photos for fun, lad," Monty commented slyly.

Pavel was quiet for a minute and tears filled his eyes, "Sank you," he said in a quiet, awed voice as he took the album from Arianne and tucked it carefully into his worn bag. "It is my wery first present."

"Oy, I have an idea!" Monty suddenly spoke up in an excited voice. "We should get a subject, test mah theory, and record it for my instructor tae see. A video will be much more impressive than an essay."

Arianne suddenly looked very nervous, "Oh, Monty, are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked softly.

"I cannae believe that you're questioning me abilities!" Monty replied in an unusually frustrated voice.

The entire table went silent and Arianne had to fight hard to keep from crying, "Pavel, enjoy your present," she said, realizing that she had annoyed Monty. "I'll see you later in class, okay?"

"Vait, I vill go vith you," Pavel said in an anxious voice, not wanting to stay around a stressed Monty.

Monty suddenly looked remorseful, "Ach, ye don't need to leave," he replied somberly. "I'm sae sorry."

Arianne, however, sighed and silently left, "Meester Scott, she vas just vorried about you," Pavel said in an upset voice right before he hurried after Arianne. "You should be nicer to her, you know zat?"

Before Monty could reply, Pavel gathered his things and stormed out of the library, "Ach, they're both daft," Monty grumbled as he looked at Riley, Hikaru, Mitchell, and Tomlinson. "Do any of ye wanna help me find a subject tae test me theory on? I'm sick o' writing this essay; me eyes are way too scrambled."

"Maybe you should just stick to writing the essay," Hikaru commented in a concerned voice, still upset that Monty had caused Arianne and Pavel to leave. "We're not supposed to use the transporter equipment without authorization and supervision. Anyone who violates that rule gets midnight PT."

Monty scoffed, "That's just a guideline for the less experienced," he replied irritably. "I was operating transporters long before I came tae the Academy and I know more about them than anyone here."

Riley suddenly looked nervous, "Gary, we can't be involved in this," he said, gazing at Mitchell.

Mitchell nodded and quickly gathered his things, as did Hikaru and Riley, "Tomlinson, we have to practice our flight demonstration, remember?" Hikaru asked, not wanting Tomlinson to remain behind and end up in trouble in case Monty did something with the transporter. "The demo's in three weeks."

As Mitchell, Hikaru, Riley, and Tomlinson left, Monty sighed and began to think up a plan of how he could execute and video his transporter theory experiment without getting into any trouble. The one thought that came to mind was going to Arianne and appealing to her merciful, compassionate side.

"I hope she will listen to me," Monty muttered nervously as he gathered his things and stood up.

* * *

_**Academy Canteen**_

"Zere is so much food," Pavel commented softly as he and Arianne stood in front of the glass case that contained various salads, desserts, sandwiches, and other small foods that the canteen staff prepared for the Academy lunches in order to preserve replicator power as part of Admiral Archer's new 'energy conservation' policy that he had implemented at the beginning of the semester. "Vat do I choose?"

Arianne shrugged, "You can get whatever you want, Pavel," she replied in an almost despondent voice.

Hearing the sadness in Arianne's voice, Pavel looked at her and was shocked to see sadness in her normally bright eyes, "I shouldn't have been so mean to Monty," she said in a somber voice.

"You vere not mean," Pavel replied calmly, worried that Arianne was ready to cry. "It eez okay."

Arianne sighed and rested her hands on the tray rack, "I'm tired," she commented softly as she fought the urge to yawn. "I've been working very hard this semester so far and suddenly I'm very tired."

"I do not sleep well either," Pavel replied softly as he opened one of the panels and took out a small bowl of green salad that was topped with vegetables. "Ze sessions wiz Doktor Harriman are nice, but zey only remind me zat I am alone and zat once I am done ze Academy, I must find a place in society."

Arianne nodded and looked very thoughtful, "How did you know I don't sleep well?" she asked softly.

"Christeene eez your roommate, yes?" Pavel asked softly. "She eez vorried about you."

Arianne nodded, but didn't say anything; truth be told, she hadn't been sleeping well ever since she helped the pregnant Marla escape to Alpha Centauri to stay away from any Starfleet scrutiny. It was obvious that Professor Khan was dangerous and she worried about Marla's safety every day.

"Pavel, I might go and have a nap in my dorm," Arianne said in a tired voice. "I'm not really hungry."

Before Pavel could protest, the canteen doors slid open and Spock came in with a stylus tucked under one arm. He walked over to the far end of the counter where a worker was waiting behind a computer.

"I am Commander Spock and I requested a vegetarian lunch special on the video phone in my office," Spock stated in a toneless voice as he gazed at the worker. "I have come to collect my order."

The worker nodded, "I will check on it, sir," he replied nervously, quickly retreating into the kitchen.

"I'll see you later, Pavel," Arianne whispered, not wanting to talk to Spock without first resting.

As Arianne left the food line, Spock turned his head, "Lieutenant Pike, are you not going to consume any nutrition?" he asked in a toneless voice. "I do believe you have classes this afternoon and you are…"

"I just forgot something at the library," Arianne lied, wanting to be left alone with her thoughts.

Even though Spock had a feeling that Arianne wasn't telling the truth, he nodded and watched her leave the canteen before he turned his attention to Pavel, "Excuse me, Kommander Spock," Pavel said in a nervous voice as he picked up his bowl of salad and retreated to the table closest to the doors.

Spock raised an eyebrow, sighed, and watched as Pavel got up and left, leaving his salad behind. Pavel intended on either trying to find Arianne or finding someone who could try and see if she was okay.

* * *

**_Dormitory – Boyce Hall – 1200 H_**

Arianne was relieved to see that Christine was not in their dorm; it meant she could send her message and then have a much needed nap without any interruptions. She sighed, sat down at her computer terminal, and quickly typed out a summary of what she did to help Marla without implicating Dr. Puri.

Her father had never been told the whole truth about the matter because they had been interrupted by Spock when she was going to tell him. As it was, Arianne knew that her father would be very angry that she allowed Dr. Puri and Marla to talk her into aiding Marla's escape from Earth without any hearing.

_I'm so sorry, Dad. _Arianne thought sadly as she finished typing the message, inserted 'Captain Christopher Pike' in the 'To' box, labeled the message as urgent, and hit the 'Send' button.

Tears filled Arianne's eyes and she leaned back in her chair as the door chime sounded, "Arianne, lass, are ye there?" Monty's voice spoke from the hallway. "I want tae apologize for being angry with ye…"

Arianne sighed, stood up, and walked over to the door, "Monty, what do you want?" she asked softly.

"Can ye come out so we can talk?" Monty's voice asked through the door. "I need your help…"

Biting her lip, Arianne hugged herself, "I think playing around with the transporter is a bad idea," she replied in a tired voice, not wanting to face Monty at the moment. "I think you should just finish your essay and see if you can try to talk your instructor into letting you try the experiment later on."

There was a scoff and Arianne silently moved over to her bed; she gently massaged her forehead and climbed underneath her sheets without even removing her cadet boots or jacket. As her eyes closed and her hair hit the pillow, Arianne heard Monty's footsteps walk off down the hallway towards the exit.

* * *

"Lieutenant Pike? Lieutenant Pike, respond."

Arianne opened her eyes and saw that nobody was in the dorm but her, "Lieutenant Pike, this is Captain Pike and I'd like very much for you to respond," she heard her father's voice call out from her communicator that was still nestled in the pocket of her cadet jacket. "Lieutenant Pike, are you there?"

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne reached into her pocket and pulled out her communicator, "Lieutenant Pike here," she replied in a groggy voice. "What can I do for you today, Captain Pike? How are you?"

"I'm fine, Lieutenant Pike," Captain Pike's voice responded. "Could you come to my office, please?"

Arianne groaned and sat up in the bed, "Yes, yes I can," she replied groggily. "Just give me a minute."

"Understood, Lieutenant," Captain's voice replied in a calm voice. "I'll be here when you arrive."

Swearing under her breath, Arianne put the communicator back in her pocket and got out of bed just as the door slid open and Christine came into the room with her medkit in hand, "Arianne, didn't you have class this afternoon?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Jim was asking where you were today and I…"

Frowning, Arianne gazed up at the chronometer above the door and was horrified to see that it was 1700 H, "Oh, crap," she said in an anxious voice. "I slept through all of my afternoon classes."

"You've been in here asleep all afternoon?" Christine asked in a worried voice. "Are you okay?"

Arianne sighed, "I'm fine," she lied, not wanting to confide in Christine about what was wrong.

"There's an information fair in the Command Building this weekend for the third and fourth year cadets," Christine explained as she handed Arianne a PADD. "It's to show us what postings we'll have an opportunity to apply for once we're finished the Academy; there will be booths from places all over…"

Arianne nodded and tossed the PADD on her bed, "I'll look at the information later," she replied, not wanting to even think about what kind of posting she would qualify for with all that had happened.

"Leonard also asked about you," Christine commented as Arianne moved towards the door.

Biting her lip, Arianne sighed and silently left the dorm, hoping that Leonard wouldn't come by to try to talk to her until later; she didn't want to talk to anyone until after she talked with her father.

The foyer chronometer changed to 1730 as Arianne approached the door to her father's office and gently pressed the door chime, "Come in," she heard the calm voice of her father say immediately.

Arianne sighed, pressed the button that would open the door, and was surprised to see a concerned looking Pavel already in the office while her father sat behind his desk, "Captain Pike, what can I do for you?" she asked in a nervous voice as she entered the office and closed the door behind her.

"I've had reports that you missed your classes this afternoon and then Pavel came to my office and told me that you went to your dorm for a nap around 1100 hours," Chris said in a concerned voice as Arianne gave Pavel and then himself a curious look. "I also got your message and I found it very interesting."

Arianne nodded and swallowed hard, "I thought you should know the whole story before you decided what posting I would be suited for after graduation," she replied, bracing herself for a bad reaction.

"Marla vas not only friends with you and Professor Khan," Pavel spoke up in a timid voice. "I vas one of hees best students and I confided in him about my fazzer abusing me because he made me feel safe…"

Arianne looked alarmed, "Pavel, this isn't your fault," she replied worriedly. "Why would you think…?"

"I vorked with Sereej and Professor Khan during ze training cruise," Pavel said in a nervous voice as he hugged himself. "I told zem zat I vished my fazzer was dead so zat he would never take me back…"

Chris sighed and Pavel trembled and looked down at his lap, "It eez my fault and I vanted to be expelled after Professor Khan vas declared dangerous, but Keptin Pike said no," he said in an anxious voice.

"I won't let this Professor Khan fiasco stop you or Arianne from making successes of yourselves, Pavel," Chris said in a gentle, but firm voice. "Neither of you are going to face any repercussions for this, okay?"

Pavel sighed and stood up, "I must go study before deener," he said nervously as he moved to the door.

"Pavel, don't let yourself feel guilty about this," Chris commented softly as Pavel quietly left the office.

As the door slid shut, Chris sighed, "Spock sent me a message that he saw you in the canteen, but you didn't seem like you were okay," he stated in a fatherly voice. "So, kiddo, wanna tell me what's wrong?"

"I just feel so guilty about helping Marla," Arianne replied softly. "Dad, Marla was pregnant with Professor Khan's child and that's why she acted violent towards me. That's why I helped her leave."

Chris nodded, a sympathetic expression on his face, "I had a feeling that Cadet McGivers transferred to the Alpha Centauri colony for a deeper reason than just wanting to broaden her education, but I couldn't prove anything without raising suspicion," he said in a gentle voice. "It's good that you helped her even knowing that if word ever got out, your career would be at risk. You're a good person, kiddo."

Before Arianne could reply, the computer went off and Chris was surprised to see Admiral Archer's infuriated looking face appear on the screen, "Captain Pike, are you busy?" Admiral Archer snapped in an unusually infuriated voice. "If you're not busy, I want you to come to the Transporter Wing of the Starfleet Operations Building _immediately! _One of your precious cadets has done something idiotic!"

"Who was it?" Chris asked, fully expecting Jonathan to say that Jim had again done something crazy.

Admiral Archer snarled, "JUST GET HERE RIGHT NOW!" he roared angrily. "Admiral Archer out."

"Arianne, why don't you come with me and then we'll go to dinner after I've calmed Admiral Archer down a bit?" Chris suggested as he stood up. "It's been a while since we had dinner together."

Arianne nodded and as she left the office with her father, she prayed that Jim wasn't in trouble again.

* * *

_**Transporter Wing – Operations Building - Starfleet Academy – 1800 H**_

Chris and Arianne entered the Transporter Wing and were both shocked to see that Monty was standing silently near a pad while an infuriated Admiral Archer was being restrained by two Security guards several feet away. Hikaru, Mitchell, Tomlinson, and several older cadets were working at the console.

"Jon, what's happened?" Chris asked as he walked over to Admiral Archer. "What's with the guards?"

Admiral Archer scowled and his eyes narrowed when he saw Arianne there, "Why'd you bring your daughter with you, Chris?" he asked in a snappish voice. "This doesn't concern her at all."

"Why don't you tell me what's going on, Jon?" Chris asked, giving Arianne a look not to say anything.

Admiral Archer sighed, "I was out walking Porthos and Mister Scott comes up to me out of nowhere and asked if he could look after Porthos for a while so I can get some dinner," he explained in a very angry voice that he kept at a reasonable volume for Arianne's benefit. "Anyway, I went to dinner and while I was at the canteen, I got a call from Mister Tomlinson that Mister Scott used my beagle as a lab rat!"

"I was only gonna beam the dog across campus," Monty spoke up in an anxious voice. "I dinna think…"

Admiral Archer scowled, "What exactly did you use in your experiment, Mister Scott?" Chris asked in a calm, but commanding voice as he walked over to the pad. "Do you have any idea where Porthos is?"

"Nae sir, I don't," Monty replied somberly, gazing expressionlessly at the pad. "I did all me research and thought it would work because Porthos is so small and light, but it didn' work and now he's gone…"

Admiral Archer sighed, "Guards, please take Mister Scott to the Brig at Starfleet Security and make sure he gets his meals and homework delivered to him until further notice," he said as he walked over to the transporter console. "Tomlinson, Mitchell, work with the older cadets to figure out what happened."

"I want a hearing," Monty spoke up as he looked up at the small crowd. "Am I entitled tae that?"

Chris nodded, but Admiral Archer crossed folded his arms, "You are, but you are to be confined to the Brig with homework and meals until the hearing is held," he said in a firm voice. "It's within regulations for me to do that since you lied to me about why you wanted Porthos. Guards, take him now, please."

"Jonathan, please, can't you think of a better punishment than the Brig?" Arianne asked before she could stop herself. "Why not just make Monty wear an anklet that keeps him from leaving campus until the hearing if you're concerned that he might run away? I know Porthos was important to you, but…"

Chris's eyes widened, but Admiral Archer marched over to Arianne, "That's Admiral Archer to you, Lieutenant Pike!" he yelled angrily, tempted to slap Arianne just to keep her in line. "You are a cadet and do not dictate disciplinary policies to me, a Starfleet Admiral. Or do you want to join Monty in the Brig?"

"Jon, really; Arianne didn't do anything to deserve that threat," Chris spoke up in an irritated voice.

Admiral Archer looked shocked, "Oh, you think I wasn't serious, Chris?" he asked in a cross voice as he looked at Hikaru, "Sulu, escort Lieutenant Pike to the Brig right now for sassing a superior officer."

Swallowing hard, Sulu reluctantly walked over to Arianne, "You even think about it, Sulu, and I'll put you on Midnight PT for two months," Chris snapped as he moved in front of Arianne to protect her. "Arianne, go back to your dorm and stay there until I call. Guards, take Mister Scott to his dormitory."

"Chris, how dare you try and override my orders!" Admiral Archer snapped, his face going very red.

Chris sighed and Arianne silently watched as the guards escorted Monty out of the room and then she quickly left the room without looking at Sulu, Tomlinson, or Mitchell, "Now, Jon, why don't we go to your office and discuss this while these cadets work with the transporter?" Chris suggested gently.

* * *

_**Dormitory - Boyce Hall – 1930 H**_

A door chime sounded and Arianne looked up from the PADD she was reading while resting in the corner chair that had been in their dorm since after the earthquake, "Who's there?" she called out.

There was silence, some clicking noises, and the door opened to reveal Jim standing out in the hallway in his cadet reds with two brown paper bags in his hands, "Jim, what are you doing here?" she asked softly.

"I was in tutoring with Commander Harriman because he thinks I need to sharpen up my diplomacy and I heard over the comms channels that Admiral Archer is really mad at both you and some Cadet Scott," Jim explained as he sauntered into the room. "The tutoring was cut short because Commander Harriman got called to Admiral Archer's office and I can't go bug Bones because he's off at AA…"

Arianne sighed and placed the PADD on her section of the desk, "Monty Scott used Admiral Archer's beagle as a guinea pig in a transporter experiment and now Porthos is missing," she explained in a tired voice as she stood up, stretched, and walked over to Jim. "I tried to keep Admiral Archer from being too hard on Monty and he threatened to arrest me. My father told me to wait here until he called."

"So, you blew off your afternoon classes to sleep and you freaked out at Admiral Archer?" Jim asked in a surprised voice as he offered her one of the bags. "I figured you were having a hard time, so here."

Arianne took the bag, but didn't open it, "I went to a Subway that's about three blocks from here," Jim explained as he opened the bag. "I had to pay extra to get them to make me an allergy free sub, but…"

"Thank you," Arianne replied softly as she took a wrapped, six-inch sub out of the bag and sighed.

Jim grinned and took a sandwich out of his bag just as Christine walked in, "Jim, it's been a while since you've been here," she said in a neutral tone as she walked over to her desk without looking at him.

Jim shrugged and Christine sighed, "Arianne, I'll be back late," she said in an upbeat voice as she turned to face Arianne and Jim with an excited look on her face. "Nyota's having a study party at the library."

"Okay," Arianne replied softly, sighing when Christine ran out of the room. "Jim, wanna take a walk?"

Jim nodded, "So long as you eat, we'll take a walk," he replied worriedly. "You look really pale."

Scoffing, Arianne ripped the wrapper off the sub and bit into it, "Everything's just been really tough this semester," she replied tiredly as she chewed. "The professors are piling on the work and I haven't had a lot of time for anything else but studying. Besides I'm not invited to social stuff and Leonard hasn't…"

"Bones is working himself really hard," Jim said in a concerned voice. "He doesn't socialize very much."

Arianne silently ate the rest of her sub and threw the paper in the recycler, "I know he goes to Nyota's study parties, Jim," she replied in a distressed voice. "Maybe I'm not good enough for Leonard."

Jim's eyes widened, "You totally need to get off campus for a while," he said softly. "Do you trust me?"

"No getting me drunk and we're back by midnight," Arianne replied tiredly. "Okay, Jim?"

Jim nodded, "I'll try not to drink too much," he replied in an eager voice. "Let's get out of here."

Nodding, Arianne checked her pockets to make sure she had her identification and then she followed Jim out of the dorm room, down the hallway, and out of Boyce Hall. The sky was dark, filled with illuminating stars, and there was a light, but very warm breeze causing the tree branches to shake.

"Okay, Jim, where are we going?" Arianne asked as they walked down the path that would lead to the bus that came by every 15 minutes and went to the heart of San Francisco's nightlife district.

Jim chuckled, "Just trust me," he replied, putting his arm around Arianne as they continued down the path towards the bus. "We'll go to a club that will help you to forget all of your Academy worries."

As Arianne and Jim continued walking, they were unaware that Pavel was out for an evening walk and had overheard Jim talking about leaving campus until after midnight; the curfew was midnight, but Pavel was concerned for Arianne and the fact that she so willingly decided to risk violating curfew.

Silently swearing under his breath, Pavel pulled out his personal PADD and quickly typed out a small message to Leonard, as he knew that Leonard would be able to figure out if Arianne was actually okay.

* * *

**_Club Fusion – Downtown San Francisco – 2330 H_**

Jazzy tunes filled the club and Arianne sighed as she watched Jim take a sip of the Chateau Picard 2205 wine that he had decided to get instead of hard liquor, "Did you have any of this stuff when you were in France doing that Diplomacy thing?" Jim asked as he set the barely full glass back on the small table.

"No, I've never had any alcohol given to me by choice," Arianne replied softly. "Remember?"

Jim nodded somberly and stretched in his chair, "I remember," he said in a somber voice. "Sorry."

Arianne smiled and gently patted Jim's hand, "It's all right, James," she replied reassuringly. "Do you think we could get a little bit of food while we're here? I haven't eaten a lot all day and I'm famished."

Before Jim could reply, the music suddenly changed to heavy metal that sounded as if metal was being sent through a grinder and the sound caused Jim to immediately rest his head on the table, close his eyes, and make fists, "Jim, why don't we go outside til the music changes?" Arianne suggested softly.

"Yeah," Jim replied in a faint voice as he slowly sat up. "Can you help me get outside now?"

Nodding, Arianne left some credits on the table, helped Jim to his feet, and helped him out of the semi-crowded club, "Every time I hear heavy metal it reminds me of stuff," Jim said in an anxious voice as he placed a hand on his forehead and leaned against the building. "I've got a really bad headache now."

"Do you want to go back to campus?" Arianne asked as she felt his forehead. "You're a bit warm…"

Jim shrugged and suddenly groaned, "I feel sick," he moaned in a pained voice. "Arianne, help."

Arianne frowned and helped Jim to kneel down, "My chest and throat feel tight," he whispered.

Nodding, Arianne was about to call for help on her phone when a taxi stopped and Leonard hopped out in his cadet uniform with a med-kit in hand, "What happened?" he asked as he hurried over to where Arianne and Jim were kneeling and saw that Jim was seriously ill. "Jim, what did you eat and drink?"

"He just had a bit of wine," Arianne replied, frowning when Jim shook his head frantically. "What?"

Despite his problem, Jim coughed, "Yogurt raisins and a-almonds," he wheezed as Leonard opened his medkit and prepped a hypo. "T-They w-were at the b-bar and I figured that just a bit couldn't hurt…"

"You might be allergic to them," Leonard said in a worried voice as he pressed a hypo against Jim's neck.

Jim gagged and Arianne quickly dialed 9-1-1, "Hello, I need an ambulance at Club Fusion," she said as a voice responded. "The patient is suffering from suspected anaphylactic shock after eating some food…"

"C-Call P-Pike," Jim wheezed faintly as he keeled over in pain. "B-Bones, my stomach hurts…"

Arianne sighed and quickly dialed her father's emergency number, knowing he would be very upset.

* * *

_**San Francisco General Hospital – 0300 H**_

Arianne sighed as she sat in a plastic chair beside the bed where Jim was in a deep sleep with a hospital gown, blanket, and socks covering his body. A pillow was under his head, IV's were in both of his arms and hands, and an oxygen mask was covering his pale face. She gently stroked his cold hand to calm herself and was surprised when Jim's eyes suddenly fluttered open and he looked alert, but drowsy.

"Hey, sunshine," Arianne said in a gentle voice, smiling when Jim turned his head towards her.

Jim sighed sleepily and forced the mask off his face, "Hey," he replied faintly. "What happened?"

"You had a reaction to some food," Arianne explained softly. "James, how are you feeling?"

Jim blinked, "Crappy," he replied in a groggy voice as he felt the blanket covering his thin body.

"I called Captain Pike like you told me to," Arianne replied softly. "He got here at about 0200 and he and Leonard are talking with your doctor somewhere in the emergency room. I decided to stay with you…"

Jim nodded as the door opened and Leonard came into the room with a cheerful looking Dr. Piper and a concerned looking Captain Pike, "Captain Pike, I believe these cadets belong to you," Dr. Piper stated in a professional tone as he walked over to the bed. "Mister Kirk, you gave us all quite a scare."

Arianne sighed when Jim found himself too groggy to offer a reply, "Cadet Kirk, I want you to stay the night here and then come back to campus in the morning," Chris stated in an official voice. "You'll be excused from attending classes for a couple of days and I want you tested for lactose intolerance…"

"I'm allergic to nuts, aren't I?" Jim asked groggily. "I thought I outgrew my food intolerances…"

Chris sighed and walked over to the bed, "Why don't you get some rest and we'll discuss it tomorrow after you come back to campus?" he suggested, seeing how tired Jim looked. "I want Doctor McCoy to stay with you tonight so that he can help Doctor Piper get you in good form to return tomorrow."

"Can I have a hug, Arianne?" Jim asked as he gazed helplessly at Arianne. "It'll help me sleep."

Arianne chuckled softly as she stood up and she gave Jim a gentle, but firm hug before pulling away, "Call me when you're back on campus and I'll come visit when I can," she said in a gentle voice.

Jim nodded and immediately closed his eyes, which Arianne took as a sign that he would be fine in the care of Dr. Piper and Leonard. She silently followed her father out of the room and down to the foyer.

"Cadet Scott is on academic probation and is still in the Brig," Chris explained to Arianne as she followed him out of the hospital and down the street to the nearest bus stop. "He's been asking for you to visit."

Arianne sighed, "Monty got mad at me because I told him that messing with the transporters was a bad idea," she explained in an exasperated voice as a hoverbus pulled up to the curb. "When should I…?"

"I think it's better to visit now, while Admiral Archer is asleep and unable to explode any more than he already has," Chris replied in an unamused voice as they got on to the bus. "He dragged all of us Command-level officers into the Starfleet Command briefing room and yelled at us for an hour about how stupid it is to trust hyperactive cadets with aged beagles because terrible things will happen…"

Despite the seriousness of the situation Monty was in, Arianne couldn't help but chuckle over Admiral Archer's obsession over his missing beagle. Chris was silent for a moment and then also chuckled.

* * *

**_Brig - Starfleet Security - Starfleet Academy – 0400_**

Arianne stepped into the room where Monty was asleep in a small cubicle that was separated from the rest of the world by a very powerful forcefield. His cadet reds and boots had been replaced by gray, oversized prison garb and his feet were covered by plastic slippers. A guard stood outside the small cell.

"Monty?" Arianne asked as she approached the forcefield. "Monty, I heard you wanted to see me?"

There was silence and Monty slowly opened his eyes and sat up, "Aye I did, lass," he spoke in a groggy voice as he massaged his forehead. "I dinnae think you would want tae see me after I was so rude."

"Monty, is there anything I can do for you?" Arianne asked, trying to keep the tiredness from her voice.

Monty sighed, "I'm on restriction to food and academics," he explained groggily. "I cannae go anywhere for tae time being and it's a leetle frustrating that Admiral Archer won't even let me explain…"

"You beamed his beagle into oblivion," Arianne replied tiredly. "He loved that beagle more than anything in the world and you used it as a guinea pig for an unapproved experiment, Monty."

Monty scoffed, "I hear tae Admeeral has tae sweets for you too, lassie," he replied softly.

Arianne's eyes widened in anger, "I don't CARE what Admiral Archer told you!" she snapped, feeling violated that Admiral Archer would try and expose her past as some sort of sick revenge for her trying to keep Monty out of the Brig. "I am in love with Leonard McCoy and I don't have eyes for anyone else!"

The guard looked shocked, as did Monty and Arianne went red when she realized what she had just said and how it would most likely get back to Leonard, "Lieutenant Pike, the prisoner needs his rest," the guard spoke up in a neutral tone as he looked at Arianne. "Visiting hours are over as of now."

Arianne nodded, yawned, and silently left the room while Monty laid back down on his prison cot.

* * *

**_Common Area - Boyce Hall – 0500_**

Exhausted from being up all night, Arianne silently sank down on the couch in the common room since she didn't want to go to the dorm and risk waking Christine. She quickly pulled out her personal PADD, checked her messages, and was surprised to find one from Leonard that had been sent an hour ago.

_Arianne,_

_Jim's doing well and we should be back on campus by 0600. I already emailed Captain Pike and gave him my recommendation that you take the day off to rest because of your heroics last night. I know you're always there for Jim and I'm grateful for that, but do you think we could be there for each other more?_

_I didn't think I'd ever have strong romantic feelings for anyone ever again because of what Jocelyn put me through, but it happened; you had that effect on me. When we're both rested, can we talk more?  
_

_Leonard_

"Oh Len, you're so stubborn with your feelings," Arianne said tiredly as she pocketed her personal PADD, sat up, and looked around at the empty common area. "I might as well go get some rest."

Letting out a sigh, Arianne quietly walked down the hallway and entered her dorm only to find that Christine wasn't even there. It didn't take Arianne long to get out of her cadet reds and into a pair of sleep sweats, a t-shirt, and a pair of socks. She quickly got into bed before she changed her mind.

Flashes of Jonathan's treatment of her ever since he found out her true identity filled Arianne's mind and it was then that she knew that she could never love him again. The Arianne of the past had died on El-Auria, Arianne silently reasoned; she was and always would be Arianne, daughter of Captain Pike.

"How on earth do I tell Len that I've fallen in love with him?" Arianne sleepily asked herself as she laid there and waited to get tired enough to fall asleep. "He's so stubborn with his feelings…"

As Arianne's eyes slowly closed, she made a mental note to ask Jim for help in getting through to Leonard's heart, as Jim was like Leonard's brother and he would know how to accomplish such a feat.


	35. November 2257: Sudden Shockwave

_**November 2257**_

Arianne found herself staring out the recreation centre's window at the falling snow instead of getting on the exercise bike next to where Jim was already doing a two mile ride to kill time before they were supposed to go to their next class, "I can't believe it's snowing already," she commented softly.

"I bet Pike will have me shovel his front walk later," Jim commented cheerfully as he continued working on the exercise bike. "He says that physical labor is good for my mind and my body, especially now."

Arianne sighed, turned, and walked over to the bikes, "It is," she replied in an amused voice as she got on to the bike next to Jim. "When I was a kid, my dad insisted on me having chores because he told me it helped me to think better and it did. I even had chores at that school in Des Moines to help my mind."

"Is that why you did all that groundskeeper work every weekend during the fall and spring?" Jim asked in an amused voice, remembering that Arianne used to get him to help her take care of the grounds at the Achievement Academy of Hope. "I thought you were doing that for extra academic credit."

Arianne grinned and ended up chuckling as she began to cycle, "It was a character building thing that Madame Guinan offered to all the students and I knew you'd get nervous if she asked you, so I asked for your help so you'd feel included," she explained in a gentle voice. "I knew the work would help you."

Jim smiled, "Speaking of help, Arianne, what should we do for your birthday?" he asked impishly. "I know you're not fond of parties, but I could rent the pool for the evening since you like swimming…"

"Might be fun," Arianne replied calmly as she stopped and began to program a workout into the bike.

Before Jim could reply, the gym doors slid open and Captain Pike came into the room with a neutral expression on his face, "Cadet Kirk, I need you to get your reds and come with me, please," he ordered.

"Captain Pike, I'm not due in class for another hour," Jim replied nervously. "What do you need?"

Captain Pike sighed, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a stylus, "I got a message from the Riverside Police Department this morning, Jim," he said in a somber voice. "Your mother was found dead…"

"How?" Jim, who was reeling from the news that his mother was suddenly gone. "How did she die?"

Captain Pike remained silent and Jim quickly got off the bike, "She was found dead in her home this morning," he explained in a somber voice. "I contacted your brother when I got the news, but I don't know any other details right now. If you want to be excused from classes today, I'll make it happen."

Arianne watched as Jim became very quiet and sat on the floor, "Can I have a minute?" Jim asked in an unusually toneless voice as he hugged himself and looked at the floor. "I just need a minute to think."

Before Arianne or Captain Pike could reply, Jim closed his eyes, "I feel like I'm gonna throw up," he whispered in a pained voice as he pressed his hand against his forehead. "I've got a headache."

Frowning, Arianne got off her bike and knelt down beside Jim, "Just breathe deep and slowly," she said in a gentle voice as she gently pulled Jim against her and gently rubbed his back. "Dad, can you…?"

Captain Pike nodded, pulled out his communicator, and flipped it open, "This is Captain Pike," he said in a commanding voice. "I need a medical shuttle and medics at the recreation complex immediately."

"No," Arianne heard Jim whimper in a pained voice even though he didn't pull away. "No medics."

Arianne sighed and continued to gently hold Jim, "I just need a minute," Jim's voice repeated faintly before it suddenly faded and his body sagged limply in Arianne's arms and he stopped breathing.

"Jim?" Arianne asked in a concerned voice as she gently lifted Jim off of her and found that he was not only unconscious, but also not breathing. "Dad, Jim's not conscious and he's not breathing at all."

Chris frowned and watched as Arianne carefully eased Jim to the floor and began CPR, "What are you doing?" Jim's voice suddenly spoke softly even though Jim didn't wake up. "I don't feel good…"

Arianne quickly stopped and moved back just in time to see Jim unconsciously vomit on himself and on the floor, "Uggh," Jim groaned in a faint voice. "Arianne, are you still there? I feel like absolute crap."

"Yes, Jim, I'm here," Arianne replied gently as the doors slid open and two medics came into the room with a stretcher, med-kit, and a blanket in their hands. "The medics just got here, okay? Just relax."

Jim sighed tiredly, "Get Bones," he mumbled groggily. "Arianne, can you get Bones for me?"

"Yes, I think he's in his patient simulation class, but I'll go get him," Arianne replied as she got up and moved back further so that the medics could help him. "Just listen to Captain Pike and the medics."

Captain Pike glanced at Arianne as she was leaving, "He'll behave," he whispered in a firm voice.

Arianne nodded and offered a silent prayer for Jim as she hurried to get her stuff and leave.

* * *

**_Medical Simulation Lab – 1045 H_**

Arianne entered the lab and was unsurprised to see that Dr. Puri was standing at an exam bed with Leonard, Christine, and several other medical cadets, "…This medical simulation went very well and because of the snow, I'm going to end class an hour early today," she heard Dr. Puri say in an unusually cheerful voice. "I want you all to read Chapters 25 to 28 of your Field Medicine manuals for tomorrow."

There was quiet murmuring as the group broke apart and Arianne silently walked over to the medical cot where Leonard and Dr. Puri remained while the other medical cadets all left, "Hello there, Lieutenant Pike," Dr. Puri commented pleasantly as he saw Arianne. "Do you miss this class?"

"I was actually wondering if I could borrow Cadet McCoy for a minute, sir," Arianne replied in a professional voice as she stood at attention. "There's something that requires his attention."

Dr. Puri nodded and promptly walked off and Leonard grinned, "Missed me, huh?" he asked softly.

"Len, Jim just found out his mother died," Arianne replied in a somber voice. "He asked me to get you."

Leonard frowned and nodded, "Where is he now?" he asked as he packed his medkit back up.

"Starfleet Medical," Arianne replied somberly. "We were working out in the gym when my father came and told Jim about Winona. Jim was upset for a minute and then he went into some sort of shock…"

Leonard sighed and picked up his closed medkit, "I'll head over there right now," he said in a reassuring voice as he gave Arianne a gentle hug. "Did you want to come with me? He might want us both there."

"I don't want to crowd Jim too much right now," Arianne replied softly. "I don't know what it's like to…"

The words _'lose a parent' _died on Arianne's lips because she had lost a mother a long time ago, but it didn't count to her because she couldn't remember anything about having one, "Jim is your best friend, though," Leonard said in a tone of disbelief. "If he wants me there, it's more than likely he wants you there. Why won't you come?"

Before Arianne, who was shocked by Leonard's accusation that she didn't care about Jim, could reply, her communicator went off. She sighed, pulled the communicator from her pocket, and opened it.

"Lieutenant Pike here," Arianne said in a formal tone as she moved away from Leonard. "What's up?"

There was a heavy sigh, "Arianne, can you go to our classes this afternoon for me?" Jim's tired, very groggy voice asked. "I'm cleaned up and all I want to do right now is sleep. No visitors right now, kay?"

"Alright," Arianne replied gently. "I'll comm you before dinner to see how you're doing, all right?"

There was a crackle, "Yeah," Jim's tired voice replied. "Just tell Bones to come by after supper…"

Arianne sighed as the connection went dead, "Do you want to get together for dinner?" Leonard asked in a nervous voice, deeply worried that Jim didn't want any visitors for the time being. "I miss you."

"I've got Interspecies Protocol in fifteen minutes, Advanced Weaponry at 1300, and Advanced Field Combat at 1500," Arianne explained in a tired voice. "Contact me at 1700 H and I'll let you know."

Before Leonard could reply, Arianne rubbed her eyes and silently left the medical simulation lab.

* * *

**_Academy Classroom – 1130 H_**

"...All right, that's all the notes we're going to read today," Commander Harriman said in a commanding voice as he switched the screen containing the notes off. "We have a guest lecturer coming in today…"

The door suddenly slid open and a female Vulcan in important looking robes came in with Spock, who was in his instructor uniform and walking with a cane, "This is Lady T'Pau of the Vulcan High Command and I believe all of you already know Commander Spock," Commander Harriman said in a professional voice as T'Pau and Spock joined him at the front of the room. "They are here to speak to you all…"

"As a member of the Vulcan High Command, I am here to explain how important it is to preserve the Federation under any circumstance," T'Pau stated tonelessly. "In September of 2257, a Vulcan citizen suffered injury as the result of a genetically engineered Human trying to defend another Human from things that should never occur between Humans. Vulcans are not believers in violence, but they do believe in defending themselves and their allies from anything or anyone who proves threatening."

An uneasy silence fell over the class and Arianne snuck a look at Pavel, who was sitting on the front row next to Hikaru, Mitchell, Riley, Tomlinson, and Nyota. Surprisingly enough, Pavel was listening intently to T'Pol and Arianne was relieved that he seemed to be getting over Professor Khan killing his father.

"The Vulcan citizen in question relocated to a more secure Vulcan colony to continue his recovery, but they who dared strike him is not findable at this time," T'Pau stated tonelessly. "I encourage all who worry about possible retaliation to seek counseling and to also research Vulcan meditation techniques in their spare time, but I also encourage you to fill your days with activities that assist in relieving stress."

Arianne silently watched as T'Pau and Spock whispered to each other for a moment and then T'Pau bowed silently to the class before leaving the classroom in silence, "Academy Command has given their authorization for the Recreation Building to be open at all hours for those who wish to pursue anxiety-relieving activities," Spock stated tonelessly. "The library and the labs will also remain open until midnight for those who desire to pursue academic projects in order to relieve personal anxieties."

"Thank you, Commander Spock," Commander Harriman spoke up. "All right, class is dismissed."

As everyone got up and began to leave, Arianne made her way to the front of the look and briefly caught sight of Nyota giving her a snotty look before turning to talk to Hikaru, Mitchell, Riley, Tomlinson, and Pavel, "Commander Harriman, I need a copy of today's notes to give to Ensign Kirk," Arianne commented as she turned her attention to Commander Harriman. "He is too sick to come to class."

"Well, illnesses are common among the cadet population this time of year," Commander Harriman replied in a sympathetic voice as he picked up his stylus and quickly pressed a few buttons. "Today's notes should be in Ensign Kirk's files when he checks his email next. I hope he gets well very soon."

Arianne nodded and silently left the classroom without making an effort to talk to anyone because she knew it would be rebuffed, "Lieutenant Pike, a moment?" she suddenly heard Spock's voice ask.

"Yes, Commander Spock?" Arianne asked in a formal tone as she turned around and faced Spock.

Spock raised an eyebrow as cadets began to stream out of the building and past them, "I was not aware that you still had difficulties associating with your fellow cadets," he commented, not noticing that Nyota was giving him and Arianne a scowl as she walked past them. "What exactly is the problem?"

"Me," Arianne replied softly, unable to lie to Spock. "I am excluded from every opportunity to do so…"

Spock said nothing and Arianne sighed, "Commander, this isn't a good time to talk," she replied in an apologetic, distressed voice. "I have to get to my next class, get suited up, and get on the range…"

"Will classwork in Advanced Weaponry ease your distress?" Spock asked tonelessly, walking in-step alongside Arianne as she moved down the path. "You have not come for a session recently…"

Arianne sighed, "You wouldn't want any more sessions with me if you knew what I've done recently, Spock," she replied in a somber voice. "People around here still think I am not worthy of being here."

"I am scheduling you to visit my office this evening at 1900," Spock replied in a toneless voice as he pulled out his personal PADD and ran his fingers across it. "Your presence there is optional."

Biting her lip, Arianne nodded, "I'll think about it," she replied in an unusually timid voice. "All right?"

Spock offered a nod and Arianne silently hurried off towards the Weapons Range to prepare for class.

* * *

**_Weapons Range – 1330 H_**

The target flashed green, telling Arianne that she had hit the center area and that she was to move on to the next target. Problem was, however, that another cadet was already using the next target in line.

"…She and Professor Spock were having a private conversation while everyone else walked past?" Arianne suddenly heard a voice say in a confused voice. "Why weren't they talking in his office?"

Nyota's chuckle suddenly filled the range, "It explains why she's near the top of every class and it explains why Professor Khan was fired," her voice said in a dark tone. "I knew that Marla was messing around with Professor Khan because she told me, but I never knew that Arianne needed to…"

"…Okay, so Arianne was messing around with Professor Spock last year and Professor Khan this year?" Arianne heard Hikaru ask in a confused voice. "Aren't student-teacher relationships like illegal?"

Fury filled Arianne and she set the weapon on the holster before she stepped out of the booth and marched over to where Nyota, Hikaru, Mitchell, Finnegan, Tomlinson, and several other cadets were gathered in their shooting attire, "Instead of putting judgment on what you think I'm doing, Nyota, why don't you take a look at yourself in the mirror?" Arianne snapped in a furious voice. "You're out of line!"

"I'm not parading around campus trading sexual favors for grades," Nyota snapped. "I heard you found out about Professor Khan and Marla, reported them, and that's why Professor Khan got fired. I don't know where all this crap about Professor Khan killing Cadet Chekov's father is coming from, but Pavel was never beaten and hence, Professor Khan had no reason to do anything everyone says he did."

Arianne swallowed hard, but said nothing; she wasn't going to gossip about Pavel just to keep herself from being seen as trash by her fellow cadets, "Nyota, what happened to you?" she asked, trying to keep herself calm. "We used to be such good friends and we haven't really been at the Academy."

"I had to work very hard to get anywhere in the Academy and you had everything handed to you just because you learn differently," Nyota replied aloofly. "You were made an Ensign at 16 and got to spend time in France and off-planet because your father is a Captain while I worked my way through school…"

Arianne sighed, but said nothing, "Wow, you were an Ensign at 16?" Hikaru asked softly. "Cool."

"Nyota, perhaps this isn't the best place to be having words," Riley spoke up in a nervous voice.

Nyota's eyes widened as she, Hikaru, Finnegan, Tomlinson, and the others stared at the normally timid Riley, "What's going on over here?" the commanding voice of Lieutenant Sanchez suddenly spoke in a sharp tone as she came over to the group of cadets with a sharp expression on her face. "Explain."

"I was working on the target exercises when I overheard these cadets saying some very nasty things about my character," Arianne replied softly, tired of not standing up for herself. "If my fellow cadets would please move on, I will go back to shooting targets and they can get on with their days."

Lieutenant Sanchez was quiet for a moment and then glared at Hikaru, Nyota, Finnegan, Tomlinson, Riley, and the other cadets, "All of you get back to your shooting," she ordered in a sharp voice.

Arianne sighed and turned to return to her area when she felt a hand on her arm, "Lieutenant Pike, how is everything going?" she heard Lieutenant Sanchez ask in a quiet voice. "I heard you've had problems…"

"Jim's usually here to help me stay focused, but he's sick today," Arianne lied, not wanting to air more of her personal issues out in the open. "I'm sorry for losing focus, Lieutenant Sanchez. I'll get back to it."

Lieutenant Sanchez nodded and gestured to the empty slot. Arianne silently entered the slot, picked up the weapon from its holster, aimed it at the target and immediately fired with all of her might.

"Excellent form," Arianne heard Lieutenant Sanchez say in a commanding voice. "Sulu, you're up!"

There were murmurs of confusion as Hikaru walked over to the slot, "Since you are all in a talking mood, I thought we'd have a little pop quiz to see how you're all measuring up," Lieutenant Sanchez stated in a commanding voice as Arianne moved aside to let Hikaru into the slot. "It's good preparation for finals."

"Can we talk later?" Hikaru whispered as he passed by Arianne. "I don't agree with Nyota, but…"

Arianne sighed and stepped back, "Send me an email and I'll think about it," she replied coldly.

"Once you've taken your shot on this target, move to using the advanced weapons and be sure to scan your ID chip before you shoot so your score is recorded," Lieutenant Sanchez said in a commanding voice. "The scores you receive today will determine how tough the review and finals will be. Begin!"

Arianne didn't hesitate; she walked past the others over to the advanced shooting area to do what she was told and to also show everyone else that she was more stable and mature than everyone thought.

* * *

**_Combat Field – 1500 H_**

The field was covered in snow, but Admiral Archer was standing there in full snow gear with a stylus in hand and a stern expression on his face as the class approached, "Welcome," he stated firmly.

Silence was the only response Admiral Archer received and he chuckled, "Today will consist of one on one combat battles using all the techniques you've all learned in this class so far," he stated in an amused voice as he held up a small recording device. "I'll be recording each battle and we'll discuss what happens here in tomorrow's class. The matches will be timed and once someone has been knocked down three times, the match is over and participants are to report to the gym showers immediately."

"Sir, I have a question," Tomlinson asked as he raised his hand. "What happened to Cadet Scott?"

Admiral Archer was quiet for a moment and then sighed, "Cadet Scott has been transferred to another Starfleet facility to finish out his education," he replied in a sharp voice. "Now, the first match today will be between Lieutenant Arianne Pike and Ensign Nyota Uhura. Cadets, take your spots on the field."

Arianne sighed and watched as Nyota walked across the snow and assumed a fighting stance, "Are you ready?" Nyota asked in almost too eager of a voice. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time."

"I bet," Arianne replied cooly as she assumed a fighting stance. "You and everyone else here."

Admiral Archer raised his arm, "Go!" he shouted, flinching as Arianne and Nyota immediately slammed into one another and began using the simple, yet powerful hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Whispering quickly escalated into loud cheering, "How did it feel when Professor Khan was fired because of your desire to follow the rules?" Nyota snapped as she delivered a sharp pop to Arianne's jaw and flinched as Arianne promptly flipped her into the snow on her back. "That hurts a bit."

"Sorry," Arianne replied coolly, not offering a hand. "I'd offer help, Nyota, but you'll flip me over."

Nyota scoffed, but quickly got up and delivered a swift kick to Arianne's chest, promptly knocking Arianne on to her back. Fortunately, Arianne managed to get up quickly and she swiftly engaged Nyota in a hand-to-hand spar that carried them to the far end of the snow covered combat field, prompting Admiral Archer and the other cadets to tramp through the snow after them to keep watching.

"Right, it's one to one," Admiral Archer reminded them sternly. "First one to fall three times loses."

Arianne quickly lunged at Nyota, but Nyota flipped her over into the snow. For several minutes, Arianne lay still and Nyota quickly became concerned enough to lean close to Arianne to see if she was okay.

Suddenly, Arianne opened her eyes, grabbed Nyota's leg and pulled her down on to the snow while she slowly got to her feet, "Never let your guard down," Arianne said in a breathless voice. "Remember?"

There was silence and for several minutes, Arianne and Nyota circled around, not taking their eyes off of each other, "Want to negotiate a draw?" Nyota asked haughtily. "You're looking pretty tired."

"Is the snow too much for you?" Arianne asked in a neutral tone. "I'm in no mood to surrender."

Nyota sighed and Arianne used that moment of hesitation to lunge at her, but Nyota planted her feet into the snow and the two spent several minutes pushing against each other before both of them inadvertently loosened their stance due to the intense cold and fell forward into the snow.

"Draw!" Admiral Archer called out, grinning and clicking the recorder off as Arianne got to her feet and offered a hand to Nyota. "That was very impressive given the fact that it took place in deep snow!"

Nyota took Arianne's hand and released it as soon as she was up, "All right, we'll go over the tape next class," Admiral Archer said in a commanding voice. "Now, both of you go get warm in the showers and then pop over to Starfleet Medical to make sure you have no permanent injuries from today's battle."

"My dorm's closer, can I just go there?" Nyota asked in a tired voice. "The gym showers are icky."

Admiral Archer sighed, "If you don't want to shower at the gym, use a shower at Starfleet Medical," he replied in an impatient voice. "Now clear the field so that Sulu and Mitchell can take their places."

Without waiting to see if Nyota was following, Arianne moved off the field and began to stomp through the snow towards Starfleet Medical where she could shower and maybe see how Jim was doing.

* * *

**_Starfleet Medical - 1600 H_**

"Wow," Arianne whispered in an awed voice as she stood before the mirror in one of the bathrooms within the vast medical building with her hair in a loose updo and her body covered by a t-shirt and pair of sweatpants that were usually kept in the bathroom lockers in case the need was ever there. "Wow."

Bruises dotted her face and neck and Arianne had also seen several bad bruises on her chest when she had been in the shower. After a shower that should have been relieving, her body was stiff and sore.

Silently praying that nobody would spot her, Arianne gathered her winter gear and cadet uniform and then silently left the bathroom, "Good grief, what happened to you?!" an anxious, almost angry voice called out just as she reached the foyer. "You look like you went 20 rounds with a heavyweight boxer!"

"Advanced Combat," Arianne replied tiredly as she turned around and saw Leonard standing behind the front desk in his Medical uniform with a stylus in one hand. "Have you been looking after Jim?"

Leonard sighed, "Jim's resting comfortably like he should be," he replied softly. "Pike's guarding the door and has taken it upon himself to screen any calls or messages that might come to Jim for now."

"Admiral Archer thought it would be amusing to have Uhura and I engage in hand-to-hand combat on the combat field in our winter gear," Arianne said in a tired voice. "He's making the others do it too."

Leonard nodded and gently touched Arianne's jaw, causing her to flinch, "Ow," Arianne replied in a pain-filled voice. "Uhura socked me a good one; she's been spreading rumors about me and my conduct…"

"I see," Leonard replied compassionately as he gently stroked her jaw. "A bruise is starting to show."

Arianne reached up and gently placed her hand on top of Leonard's, "I've missed you too," she replied in a gentle voice, ignoring the spasms of pain that were radiating from her face and body. "I'm so sore."

"Come on," Leonard said in a gentle voice as he released her face. "Would you like a little dinner?"

Before Arianne could reply, there was a loud beep, "I've got a message," Leonard commented in an apologetic voice as he tapped the stylus a few times. "Why would Sam Kirk send me an email?"

Arianne frowned, "Let me see," she said in a concerned voice, sighing as Leonard showed it to her.

_Doctor McCoy,_

_Captain Pike emailed me about Winona and I was glad that the cops in Riverside emailed him before they emailed me. Anyway, Aurelan and I are back in Riverside, but I'd really like Jim to come for the memorial service and to go through some stuff. Unfortunately, if I ask him directly, he'll blow up and tell me where to go in no uncertain terms. Could you talk to Jim and try and get him out to Iowa, please?_

_Sam_

_P.S.: The funeral is on Saturday at 1200 H at the Kirk farm._

Leonard sighed, but Arianne moved back and immediately sat down on one of the padded seats in the waiting area, "Jim doesn't want anything to do with Sam," Arianne said in a tired voice, wincing as she leaned back. "Do you think you could wake Jim up for a bit so I could tell him about Sam's message?"

"I can try," Leonard replied softly as he looked down the hallway. "I don't know how he'll respond…"

Suddenly, there was a loud groan and Arianne and Leonard looked down the hallway just in time to see Captain Pike step back from a door. A moment later, the door slid open and a groggy looking Jim slowly came out and immediately grabbed Captain Pike's shoulder for support to keep himself upright.

"Jim!" Arianne said in an anxious voice as she stood up. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Captain Pike's eyes narrowed at Arianne's appearance, but he said nothing, "I missed Advanced Field Combat, didn't I?" Jim asked in a groggy voice as Captain Pike helped him walk to the foyer.

"Jim, Sam sent me a message," Leonard explained in a somber voice. "He wants you to visit…"

Jim scoffed groggily, "Bones, not now," he snapped tiredly. "Arianne, can we get something to eat?"

"On or off campus?" Arianne asked, knowing that Jim would most likely vent to her about Sam later.

Jim sighed tiredly, "Fried chicken sounds good," he replied groggily. "Where can we get some?"

"I'll write you passes to go off campus so long as you don't get drunk, Jim," Captain Pike said in a no-nonsense voice. "I don't need to have Archer chewing me out for you being under the influence…"

Jim nodded and sighed sleepily, "What did you tell my teachers?" he asked in an unsteady voice.

"That you were sick," Arianne replied in a reassuring voice. "I won't ever gossip about you, Jim."

At the mention of gossip, Jim's eyes narrowed slightly, "Get yourself looked at," he said in a groggy voice, giving Arianne a look that he wanted to know about the gossip later. "Where's my PADD?"

Captain Pike reached into his pocket, handed Jim the PADD he had been keeping safe while Jim slept, and sighed as Jim wandered over to a chair in the corner of the waiting area, "I had a shower and changed clothes, so I think I just need some food and rest on a heating pad. Other than that, I'm…"

"Arianne, you're just as bad as Jim," Leonard scoffed. "You always are playing the tough guy."

Arianne scoffed, "We are not having this discussion here and now, Leonard Horatio McCoy," she replied in an unamused voice as she dropped her boots on the floor. "I'm going off campus to get some fried chicken for Jim and when I get back and after Jim is relaxing again, then we'll have a good talk."

"Ahem," Captain Pike spoke up in a quiet, yet firm voice. "If you two want to have a discussion, can you please choose another place besides the foyer of Starfleet Medical to talk? This is a very public area."

Arianne blushed and nodded, "We'll talk when I get back," she replied calmly as she slowly put on her now dry cadet reds, winter coat, and boots. "There's a chicken place not far from campus; don't worry."

Before Leonard could protest, Arianne slowly left the building, "Uh, Captain Pike, I was wondering if you had a moment?" Leonard asked nervously. "I wanted to ask you something about your daughter."

Captain Pike looked suspicious, but nodded, "I'm all ears, Doctor McCoy," he replied in a quiet voice.

Not wanting to be accused of eavesdropping, Jim quickly tuned out what Leonard and Captain Pike were saying, but he could easily tell that the conversation was about Arianne because Leonard was nervous.

* * *

_**Boyce Hall - Dormitory – 1800 H**_

The walk did her already battered body no favors, Arianne thought as she lay on her bed with a PADD in one hand and a small piece of fried chicken in the other. A small box of fried chicken, fries, and popcorn chicken sat on her bedside table. She had gotten the chicken, given some to Jim, and then hightailed it back to her dorm because Jim wanted alone time and Leonard or her father weren't anywhere nearby.

"Arianne, can I come in?" Jim's voice called out from the hallway. "I got tired of being by myself."

Arianne sighed, "Come in," she replied softly, cringing at the thought of moving off the bed.

There was silence and then the door slid open, "Hey," Jim commented as he came into the room and saw Arianne laying on the bed and in obvious discomfort. "I thought you were getting a heat pad?"

"I was planning to go get one when I got back, but I was in so much pain that I thought it better to just rest on my bed," Arianne explained in a tired voice. "I'll probably feel better by tomorrow."

Jim nodded and sat on the chair at the desk, "Sam sent me a message and asked me again to come to Riverside," he stated in a tired voice as he looked at Arianne. "He wants to try and reconcile."

"How are you feeling about that?" Arianne asked softly as she slowly sat up. "I know you don't…"

Jim sighed, "I don't want to go alone if I have to go," he replied in a tired voice. "I hate the idea."

"You won't have to go alone," Arianne said in a concerned voice. "You know I'll come with you."

Jim suddenly went very quiet, "Bones needs you too, though," he replied in an uncertain voice. "I think he's frustrated at me because I take up too much of your time and he wants to spend time with you."

"James Tiberius Kirk, you do not take up too much of my time," Arianne said in a firm voice as she slowly got up off the bed. "You're the brother I never had and if anyone has a problem with that, they can…"

Jim swallowed hard, "You love Bones, don't you?" he asked in a quiet voice. "You really love him."

Arianne scoffed, but nodded, "Yeah," she replied softly. "Jim, you will never, ever be a bother…"

"I already think I am," Jim commented in an upset voice. "Maybe I should just go to Iowa alone."

Arianne frowned and sighed, "You can do whatever you'd like to do, Jim," she replied in a calm, patient voice as she walked over to the door. "I'm scheduled to see my counselor at 1900, so I'd better go."

"You see a counselor?" Jim asked in a confused voice. "But aren't you still a counselor for Starfleet?"

Arianne nodded, "Even a counselor needs a counselor sometimes," she replied softly. "You know?"

"Yeah," Jim said in a knowing voice as he stood up. "If you wanna hang out when you're done…"

Arianne smiled, "I'll let you know," she replied calmly as they both left the dormitory. "See you."

* * *

**_Academy Command Building- Commander Spock's Office – 1900 H_**

"Good evening," Spock commented tonelessly as the door opened and Arianne entered the office in her winter gear. "You may discard your outdoor gear and have a seat so that we can converse, Lieutenant."

Arianne sighed, but carefully removed her winter gear, "Where did you get those injuries?" Spock asked, raising an eyebrow at the bruises on Arianne's face, neck, and body. "Were you assaulted?"

"I was put in a mock hand-to-hand battle against Ensign Uhura during Advance Combat," Arianne replied in a pained voice, ignoring Spock's mystified expression as she sat down in the padded chair that Spock kept on hand for visitors. "Apparently, there have been some rumors that Professor Khan was fired because of me finding out about a relationship between him and Cadet McGivers and reporting it. That rumor is not entirely true…"

Swallowing hard, Arianne cringed, "Marla became pregnant by Professor Khan and Doctor Puri convinced me to help her relocate to the Starfleet building on Alpha Centauri," she confessed in an anxious voice as she looked at the desk, not daring to look up at Spock. "I only decided to do that after Marla became violent towards me because of what the pregnancy had done to her hormones."

"This incident explains your unusual behavior recently," Spock stated tonelessly. "Excessive guilt…"

Arianne nodded, but didn't look up, "Professor Khan is a wanted man and I allowed Starfleet's only link to him to flee because she became pregnant by his child," she stated softly. "Uhura doesn't believe that Professor Khan killed Pavel's father and she said that Pavel never talks about being abused…"

"Lieutenant Pike, cease with your speech of self-hatred and please look at me," Spock stated tonelessly.

Arianne looked up at Spock and was surprised to find him looking rather thoughtful, "It is unfortunate that there continue to be negative rumors about you despite all that you have done for your fellow cadets and your superiors since your arrival at the Academy," Spock explained in an unusually concerned voice. "However, the fact that specific individuals find pleasure in causing you pain through gossip is not something I would advise you to become upset about. Focus on more positive aspects…"

"Finals are coming up soon and I think I am doing well in my classes," Arianne commented in a hopeful voice, knowing that Spock was right. "Studying alone is really hard, but I find it keeps my mind busy."

Spock offered a brief nod, "You are doing very well in your classes at the moment, but you will not continue to do so if you allow yourself to be distracted by unnecessary guilt," he said in a knowledgeable tone. "I have noticed a disturbing alteration in your demeanor since Professor Khan's disappearance and now that I am aware of the cause, I recommend that you involve yourself in self-help activities…"

"Like what Lady T'Pau suggested, right?" Arianne asked softly. "How is she doing these days?"

Spock sighed, "Lady T'Pau is visiting the Academy to determine whether or not Starfleet officers and cadets were affected by Professor Khan like Serij seemed to be," he explained tonelessly. "She has met with Admiral Archer already and it was with his authorization that she made the announcements about the facilities being more available to meet the needs of overwhelmed officers and cadets."

Pain shot up Arianne's back and she groaned softly, "Could we cut this short tonight, Spock?" she asked in an apologetic voice as she slowly stood up. "I'm very tired and sore from my battle with Uhura…"

"It only seems logical that you retire to your dormitory and get some rest," Spock replied tonelessly as he stood and walked around the desk. "We can continue this discussion at a more convenient time."

Arianne smiled, "Thank you for listening, Spock," she said as she moved towards the door. "Goodnight."

Spock offered a nod and kept silence as Arianne gathered her winter gear and silently left the room.

* * *

"Arianne, I have a guest in the dorm tonight," Christine's voice filtered out of the communicator.

Arianne sighed, "Don't let him use my bed," she replied in a distressed voice. "Good night."

Silently cursing, Arianne put her communicator back in her winter coat and gazed up at the puke colored sky; she had to find a place to spend the night since Christine had effectively banned her from the dorm.

Although, Arianne silently reasoned, Christine had been rather involved with an older Science cadet named Roger Korby ever since the summer and it was natural for them to want private time alone.

"What are you doing out in this crap so late?" a familiar Southern drawl suddenly called out.

Arianne turned towards the voice and saw Leonard coming down the path towards her in winter gear with a bag slung over one shoulder, "Len, what are you doing out?" she asked in a worried voice.

"AA was tonight," Leonard replied in a worried voice. "Jim's back at the dorm doing something…"

Arianne nodded, "Christine's got a guest in our dorm tonight," she replied softly. "I have to find a place to sleep before I end up wanting to sleep in the snow because it'll help my aching body the most."

"You could always come stay at our dorm tonight and I'll take the couch so that you can have my bed and heating pad," Leonard offered in a gentle voice. "I use the heating pad so I can get a good sleep."

Arianne smiled, "Thank you," she replied softly. "Can you help me walk to your dorm, please?"

"Sure," Leonard replied gently as he gently took Arianne's hand in his own. "This way, my lady."

* * *

_**Cochrane Hall – Dormitory – 2200 H**_

The dorm was unusually clean and the only sign of life was a small stylus on top of Jim's neatly made bed, "I'll prep my bed for you," Leonard commented as he ignored Jim's bed. "It'll just be a minute."

"Sure," Arianne replied absentmindedly as she walked over to Jim's bed and picked up the stylus.

_To anyone who reads this (namely Bones and Arianne),_

_I decided to go to Riverside after all and Captain Pike decided to go with me because I figured you two needed some time alone to sort things out. I'll be back once everything's done unless Sam triggers a fight at the funeral by opening his big mouth about the past. Hopefully I won't get arrested because Pike wouldn't be happy if I did, but he'd help me out anyway. Be safe and I'll see you both soon - - Jim._

"Jim's gone to Iowa and my father went with him," Arianne explained as she walked over to Leonard's bed and saw that it was all ready for her to rest in. "Could I use your bathroom to get undressed?"

Leonard nodded and was silent as Arianne disappeared into the bathroom and the door slid closed behind her, "The heating pad is motion activated," he said in a calm voice. "Do you want water?"

"No," Arianne's voice replied in a tired voice. "Maybe some tea to help me get a good sleep."

Letting out a sigh, Leonard walked over to the replicator, "Lemon chamomile tea with honey," he said in a commanding voice, smiling as a large mug of steaming liquid appeared on the small receptor pad.

The door slid open and Arianne came out in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt with her hair still in its messy bun, "I'll email Jim in the morning," she said in a sleepy voice as she climbed into Leonard's bed and immediately felt the heating pad activate underneath her worn out body. "Oh, that feels very nice."

"I replicated you a cup of lemon chamomile tea with honey," Leonard stated as he set the mug down on the bedside table, amused to see that Arianne had immediately fallen asleep. "It's here if you need it."

* * *

_Arianne and Bones,_

_I'm on my way back from Iowa with Captain Pike. Sam didn't tell me that there's an ongoing investigation into Winona's death since it was ruled a suicide; apparently, the cops need to find out how and why Winona killed herself before her body can be released to us for a proper memorial service._

_Sam and I barely talked because he was either talking with the authorities about what happened or he was dealing with the legal stuff. Captain Pike wasn't real impressed with that and Aurelan wasn't sure what to say about that either. Anyway, Winona's suicide is in the news and Starfleet is insisting on being involved with the planning of the service, so it'll be a while yet. I told Captain Pike that I'd rather be back 'home' with my 'siblings' and he agreed to bring me back to campus. I'll email again later._

A chime at the door caused Arianne to stand and quickly move to the door, "Jim," she said in a warm voice as she hit the door release and saw a tired Jim standing in the hallway in his cadet uniform.

"Iowa sucked," Jim commented, smiling as Arianne gave him a hug. "Happy birthday, Arianne."

Arianne smiled, "Thank you," she replied in a calm voice. "Len's still sleeping; keep it down."

Jim's eyebrows raised, "Wow, did you two lovebirds have some fun last night?" he asked impishly.

"Nope," Arianne replied in an amused voice. "He gave me his bed and he took the couch."

Jim looked over at the couch and was amused to see that Leonard was still asleep and scrunched up underneath the blanket, "Bones can sure sleep like the dead," he commented. "Bones, wake up!"

Leonard groaned, but opened his eyes, "What are you doing back so early?" he asked groggily.

"Check your email," Jim replied half-heartedly. "We should take Arianne out for breakfast!"

Leonard was quiet for a moment and then sighed, "Oh, happy birthday," he said groggily as he got up off the couch and walked over to Arianne and Jim. "Arianne, I just want to say that I love you very much."

"I love you too, Leonard," Arianne replied, smiling as she found herself kissing Leonard passionately.

As Leonard and Arianne kissed, Jim sighed happily; watching them kiss was a much needed distraction, "Let me shower and get looking decent and then we can," Leonard said in a gruff tone as he hurried into the bathroom.

"I'm afraid, Arianne," Jim whispered to Arianne as they waited for Leonard. "I don't know why, but I am..."

Arianne sighed and gently patted Jim's shoulder, "You're not alone, Jimmy," she whispered. "Remember that."

Unfortunately, not even Arianne could see the trouble that lay ahead for everyone that was serving in Starfleet.

* * *

_**Please read and review!**_


	36. December 2257: Shaken Peace

**December 2257**

"…_Decorated Starfleet Officer Winona Kirk killed herself last month at the Kirk farm in Riverside, Iowa and she left a note for the cause of her suicide. According to Riverside police, a note addressed to her younger son, James Tiberius Kirk, was found in a safe within Winona's bedroom…"_

"Shut that thing off," Chris snapped as a picture of the Kirk household cordoned off by police tape and guarded by robot officers stood outside it. "Arianne, when did Jim contact you?"

"…_Dear Jimmy, it's because of you and your desire to be a part of that wretched Starfleet that I can't go on living any longer. Sam told me at his wedding that you were a Starfleet cadet and I about died; do you really want to be like your father? It's bad enough you were a worthless juvenile, but an officer…"_

The TV suddenly switched off and Arianne sighed, "Jim was woken up by a reporter banging on his and Leonard's dorm door at 0500," she explained in a somber voice. "According to Leonard, the reporter asked Jim what he felt like being the cause of his mother's suicide and Jim didn't know what the reporter was talking about until the reporter shared the copy of the note he had brought from Iowa."

"And now Jim is out in San Francisco somewhere," Chris replied in an aggravated voice. "At least it's the last day of finals so that Admiral Archer won't put an AWOL charge on Jim's record, but it's cold…"

Arianne nodded, "Leonard went out searching and stayed out there until he had to come back for his finals," she replied somberly. "Are you sure that Jim didn't go to the shuttleport and try to go…?"

"I contact the shuttleport every half hour and nobody has come in matching Jim's description and he doesn't have money to buy anything to use as a disguise," Chris said in a tired voice as he pressed some buttons on his computer. "Oh man, I have to go up to the Enterprise and do some inspections today…"

Arianne sighed, "I'll keep up the search for Jim," she replied, frowning as there was a sudden beep.

"Is that Jim?" Chris asked as Arianne pulled out her communicator. "Tell him people are worried…"

There was a crackle, "I'm all right," Jim's voice spoke. "I'm just at Golden Gate Park thinking…"

"Jim, can I come sit with you?" Arianne asked in a worried voice. "There are people worried…"

Jim's voice sighed, "Can we do something besides sit around the park if you come?" he asked.

"Sure," Arianne replied in a gentle voice. "I'll come out there as soon as I can get away."

The comm went silent and Arianne sighed, "I'd better get there before Jim gets bored and goes somewhere else," she said in a tired voice as she stood up. "Don't tell anyone where he is."

"I've got to get up to the Enterprise," Chris replied gently. "If you want to invite Jim over to the house for dinner, I should be back by then. It's good that it is the last day of finals because most the cadets have gone home for the holidays and Jim won't be peppered with questions by anyone. Admiral Archer put a media ban in place when he heard what happened this morning, so campus is really quiet now."

Arianne nodded and silently left the room, silently praying that Jim wouldn't do anything stupid in the time that it took her to get to the park and also trying to keep her sudden anger at Sam under control.

Chris sighed and tapped on his computer to look again at the message that he hadn't let anyone, including Arianne, see; Sam had found out about the cause of Winona's suicide first and he had not only not told Jim, he had expressed the opinion to Chris in an email that maybe Jim should quit Starfleet.

"Jim, I hope you're okay," Chris whispered as he closed the terrible email and let out a tired sigh.

* * *

_**Golden Gate Park**_

Only a light amount of snow was left on the grass and the footpaths had been shoveled clean, but Arianne's mind was too filled with worry to notice how beautiful the park looked that day.

After changing into civilian clothes so she could look for Jim without attraction attention from the press, she had caught the bus and was now walking around the park with no idea where Jim could be hiding.

As Arianne stopped at a bench, she saw a figure in jeans, boots, a rough looking jacket, and a hoodie with the hood up come out from a nearby tree, "Jim, did you raid Leonard's closet?" she asked in a quiet voice, immediately recognizing that the person was Jim. "I've been worried about you all morning."

"Bones won't care if I borrow his stuff," Jim replied in a quiet voice. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Arianne nodded and enveloped Jim in a gentle embrace, "Bones punched the reporter in the face after he heard about the note Winona left," Jim explained as they pulled apart. "The noise woke up half the people in Cochrane Hall and Security had to come get the reporter out of the dorm room. When Bones went into the bathroom to calm himself down with a shower, I stole some of his civvies and ran away."

"Oh man," Arianne replied in a gentle voice. "My dad says he wants you to come over for dinner."

Jim nodded and sighed, "I don't want to hang around the park all day, so can we go do something that will take my mind off Winona?" he asked in a tired voice. "Maybe could we go volunteer somewhere?"

"There's a soup kitchen not far from here that usually takes volunteers over the lunch period," Arianne replied in a gentle voice, keeping her arm around Jim. "I volunteered there with my dad last Christmas."

Jim smiled, "Cool," he replied tiredly as tears suddenly filled his eyes. "Oh man; just a second. Arianne, could I borrow your shoulder just for a second?"

Swallowing hard, Arianne immediately pulled Jim into a hug and let him cry quietly on her shoulder.

* * *

_**Community Soup Kitchen – Downtown San Francisco – 1200 H**_

"Felisa?" Arianne called out as she and Jim entered the food preparation area of the large soup kitchen and saw an auburn haired woman in jeans, boots, a sweater, and a full apron standing at a large pot of something that was on the stove and producing a large amount of steam. "Felisa, need some help?"

The woman turned and smiled at Arianne and Jim, "Arianne Pike, it's been a while since I've seen you," she commented in a cheerful voice as she walked over to Arianne and Jim. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Jim, Felisa," Arianne said in a cheerful voice, smiling at Jim. "He wants to help out today."

Felisa smiled at Jim, "Hi Jim, I'm Felisa Howard," she said in a cheerful voice, immediately seeing that Jim was nervous. "I'm a community outreach worker and I work alongside Mark Piper in running places where those down on their luck can come eat, sleep in a safe environment, and find things to do…"

"Is Doctor Piper here?" Jim asked, feeling slightly comforted that a familiar face was nearby.

Felisa smiled, "No, Mark is running recovery groups in Sausalito until two today," she replied in a pleasant voice. "That's why we invite people to come and serve lunch to the needy."

Jim nodded and silently removed his coat and hoodie, "Here's an apron," Felisa said, smiling at Jim as she handed him and Arianne aprons. "Jim, Arianne, I've already set out the trays so all that needs to be done is serving the individuals that come in to eat. If you want to go out there and start serving…"

"Right," Arianne replied in a cheerful voice as she put her winter gear with Jim's. "Come on, Jim."

Jim sighed as he and Arianne went out into the eating area and took spots behind covered food trays that had long stemmed spoons sticking out of small holes in the sides of the lids. A few poorly dressed individuals were sitting at tables and eagerly came over to the people ready to serve them, but one individual in a heavy coat, sunglasses, and a patched hat remained hunched over at a corner table.

There was a deep sigh and then the individual got up and approached the food line, "Do you haff a bowl of sometheeing to help my stomeech?" a soft, but familiar accent asked, not looking at Jim or Arianne.

"Pavel?" Arianne asked in a soft, but worried voice. "Pavel, what are you doing in a soup kitchen?"

Pavel raised his head and Jim and Arianne were both horrified to see that dark circles were under Pavel's eyes and bruises were on his face, "Who would beat up a 16 year old?" Jim murmured.

"I am sewenteen!" Pavel snapped in an unusually angry voice. "I turned sewenteen two monzz…"

There were footsteps and Felisa came out, "Who's shouting out here?" she asked in a concerned voice, her eyes widening when she saw the badly beaten young man standing there. "What happened?"

"Nozzing," Pavel replied defensively as he picked up a bowl. "Can I please haff a leetle bit of food?"

Arianne held up the spoon that was filled with stew and Pavel suddenly turned green, "I do not vant food right now," he said in a sickly voice. "My stomeech is not going to like eet eef I try to eat."

"Would you like some tea for your stomach?" Felisa asked softly. "It might help you feel better."

Pavel was quiet for a minute and then shook his head, "I haff to find a place to sleep for tonight," he replied in a nervous voice, ignoring the looks he was getting from the other people in line for not moving so they could eat. "Ze older cadets in ze hall I live in changed my code after Heekaru left for Asia…"

"Arianne, why don't you take your friend into the back and Jim can help me take care of the crowd?" Felisha suggested, seeing that Pavel was becoming increasingly agitated. "Take all the time you need."

Arianne nodded and walked out of the food line, pleased when Pavel silently followed her into the back area, "If you're going to tell Keptin Pike, it vill not do any good," Pavel said softly. "Admeeral Archer emailed me and told me zat I am going to be posted on Earth once I am done ze next year in ze Academy because I am too young and unstable to go into space because of what happened wiz my fazzer…"

"Admiral Archer did _what_?" Arianne asked in a horrified voice, suddenly feeling extremely angry.

Pavel sighed, "He vas not heppy that I vas friends vith Cadet Scott," he said softly, suddenly wincing and placing one hand over his mouth and one hand over his stomach. "I feel like I vill be sick right avay."

"I think I should take you to Starfleet Medical," Arianne replied gently. "You need to see a doctor."

Pavel swallowed hard and carefully hugged himself, "Keptin Pike vill be mad because I vas too afraid to ask for help," he said in a quiet voice as he looked at the floor. "I told him zat I vas doing wery vell."

"Arianne, why don't you and your friend go get him some help?" Felisa suggested gently as she came into the back room wiping her hands on her apron. "Jim's doing a wonderful job and I can help him…"

Arianne looked to Pavel, who immediately sank to the floor, "I am too tired," he said in a faint voice.

"Pavel!" Arianne shouted as Pavel's eyes fluttered shut and his breathing slowed. "Pavel, wake up."

Felisa frowned, picked up a small jar off the counter, and walked over to where Pavel lay unconscious and barely breathing. She knelt down, opened the jar, and gently waved it under Pavel's nose.

"Vat…vat is zat smell?" Pavel slowly asked as he opened his eyes and saw Felisa hovering over him.

Arianne smiled as Felisa helped Pavel sit up, "Smelling salts," Felisa explained gently. "I think Arianne is right in saying that you need to see a doctor. Could I contact your parents to come pick you up so…?"

"I haff no parents," Pavel replied softly. "I am a kadet at ze Starfleet Academy, but I am vorthless…"

Felisa sighed, stood up, and silently went into the back area, "I want you to try a special drink that will help you be okay until you can be seen by a doctor," she said in a loud voice. "It's easy to make."

"I don't vant anymore dreenks," Pavel said in a faint voice, wavering as he slowly got to his feet. "I vill go back to campus and go straight to ze Starfleet Medeecal eef I am allowed to leaf; I do not want to be…"

Arianne frowned, "Did your father ever force you to drink things you didn't want to, Pavel?" she asked softly, silently wondering if the abuse Pavel had endured included being forced to consume alcohol.

Pavel didn't reply, however; he nodded, whimpered, and immediately began to tremble for several seconds before he turned away, "Here you are, Pavel," Felisa said in a gentle voice as she came out of the back holding a cup. "Is it all right if I call you Pavel? I heard Arianne call you that, so I assumed…"

"I am sorry for coming and askeeing for food," Pavel spoke softly. "I am hawing a wery hard time."

Felisa nodded and offered Pavel the cup, "Drink that and after lunch is done, I'll take you, Arianne, and Jim back to the Starfleet Academy campus in my station wagon," she said in a gentle voice. "Okay?"

Pavel took the cup and silently sipped the liquid as Felisa went into the front to help serve lunch.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical – 1300 H**_

Small plastic trees with small ornaments were on every table in the foyer and on the front desk with a small wreath hanging off the counter. Red, silver, and gold garland was strewn along the walls, but Arianne didn't notice any of it; her focus was on seeing if anyone was actually on duty that afternoon.

As if someone had heard Arianne's silent hope, Dr. Harriman suddenly came out of the nearby staff lounge with a stylus in one hand and a Styrofoam cup in the other, "Doctor Harriman?" Arianne asked in a worried voice. "Doctor Harriman, are you available for a medical consult? It's a bit of an emergency."

"Yes, of course," Dr. Harriman replied worriedly, suddenly noticing Jim sitting in the waiting area with an exhausted looking Pavel leaning on him for support. "Cadet Chekov, are you feeling all right today?"

Pavel let out a weak sigh, but said nothing, "Doctor Harriman, I think Pavel needs some medical attention," Arianne spoke up in a concerned voice. "Jim and I found him downtown…"

Dr. Harriman nodded and walked over to Pavel and Jim, "Cadet Chekov, do you mind if I scan you with my medical tricorder?" she asked in a gentle voice as she sat down on the other side of Pavel.

"I do not mind," Pavel replied softly, forcing himself to look at Dr. Harriman. "Vill you be gentle?"

Dr. Harriman smiled as she reached into the pocket of her uniform and pulled out her medical tricorder, "I will be," she replied, sighing as she opened the medical tricorder and carefully scanned Pavel. "Ensign Kirk, do you want to help Pavel to an exam room, please? Pavel, I want to make sure you're okay."

"Yeah," Jim replied, quickly getting to his feet and offering Pavel a hand. "Need a hand up, Pavel?"

Pavel nodded and allowed Jim to help him up, "Ensign Kirk, I want you to help get Pavel into pajamas and get him comfortable, all right?" Dr. Harriman asked gently. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

"I promise to stay calm," Pavel whispered softly as he walked off down the hallway with Jim's help.

Dr. Harriman sighed and patted the seat where Pavel had been sitting, "I want to talk to you for a few minutes before I go help Pavel just in case I don't get another chance," she said in a gentle voice as Arianne came over to the chairs. "The primary fleet of Starfleet is being dispatched to the Laurentian system in approximately one month to engage in exploration, colonization, and other efforts to establish new alliances between the Federation and any species that might exist in that system; I need you to…"

"Doctor Harriman, I don't understand why I need to know this," Arianne replied in a confused voice.

Dr. Harriman smiled sadly, "If it weren't what you did for my husband and I back when I didn't know if I could ever be helped, this opportunity would have never come about," she explained gently, not at all bothered by Arianne interrupting. "John's been promoted to the rank of Captain and is being given command of a ship called the U.S.S. Sea of Tranquility that has been assigned to lead the fleet into the Laurentian system at the beginning of January. I need you to look after my counseling patients when I'm gone."

Tears filled Arianne's eyes and she sighed sadly, "I'm going to miss you, Lara," she said in a saddened voice even though she knew that Lara would someday be able to resume her life to the fullest. "I…"

"Arianne, you helped me recover from the Kelvin incident and brought me back to life," Dr. Harriman replied in a gentle voice. "You have an amazing gift to help people come out of their shells…"

Arianne shrugged and sighed, "You have a wonderful future ahead of you, Arianne," Dr. Harriman said in a reassuring voice as she stood up. "I was wondering if you could contact Captain Pike and tell him that Pavel is here. Pavel's only 17, so he is still a minor and needs a place to stay while he recovers."

"My father's up on the Enterprise doing inspections," Arianne replied worriedly. "Also, Pavel's not going to want to talk to anyone from Starfleet or Academy Command because of what Admiral Archer told him in an email message; in short, Archer is going to ground Pavel after Pavel graduates next year."

Dr. Harriman scoffed and shook her head, "I should get in there and help Pavel," she said in a slightly irritated voice. "I promise not to repeat what you told me, Arianne. You have a good holiday, okay?"

Arianne nodded and was quiet as Dr. Harriman walked off to Pavel's room. She sighed wearily, pulled out her personal PADD, and almost screamed when it suddenly vibrated and a new message appeared.

_Arianne,_

_I'm done my semester finals and I was wondering if you wanted to go for a little walk with me? _

_Leonard_

Smiling, Arianne got up and walked out of Starfleet Medical to go meet Leonard at his dorm and was surprised to see that Leonard was on the steps, "Hi Len," she commented softly. "How are you?"

"Tired," Leonard replied in a tired voice as he gently wrapped his arms around her. "You?"

Arianne sighed and leaned against him, "Ready for a walk with you," she replied pleasantly.

"My mama emailed me this morning and asked if I wanted to come out to Georgia for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day," Leonard said in a concerned voice. "I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

Arianne was quiet for a moment and then frowned, "Aren't you still looking for Jim?" she asked.

"I was just getting out of my exam when I got an email from Jim and he said that he's gonna be busy all day," Leonard replied in a semi-relieved voice. "I just need to change into civvies before we go…"

Arianne nodded and sighed, "Where are we going, Len?" she asked in a curious voice.

"Meet me at the bus stop in about half an hour," Leonard replied pleasantly. "All right, darlin'?"

Knowing that Leonard was having fun being secretive, Arianne sighed, "All right," she replied softly.

Leonard smiled and took off down the stairs before Arianne had the chance to say anything else.

* * *

_**Ocean Beach - San Francisco, California – 1400 H**_

"Ocean Beach," an automated voice spoke out of the hoverbus intercom. "Please disembark safely."

Arianne sighed as Leonard helped her off the crowded bus and on to the sand that was peppered with light snow, "How have you been feeling lately?" he asked in a concerned voice. "You doing okay?"

"Tired from school, but I'm doing fine," Arianne replied softly. "How are you doing, Len?"

Leonard sighed, "Christmas is in a few days and I'm hating it," he replied somberly. "Is that wrong?"

"No," Arianne said as she led him closer to the water. "Not considering what you've been through."

Leonard nodded and gazed out at the water, "Ever since the accident, Christmas and anything that reminds me of family has always been hard to think about," he explained in a somber voice as he gazed solemnly out at the gentle waves. "I still have the occasional nightmare about the accident if I sleep too long and that's why I've been doing as many shifts at Starfleet Medical as I can; so I don't have to."

"Is that why you mixed substances the night before you got on the recruit shuttle?" Arianne asked softly, silently praying that Leonard wasn't going to get angry with her for bringing up the past.

Leonard was quiet for a min and then Arianne felt her hand being gently squeezed, "Yeah," he replied in an unusually somber voice as he looked at her. "I've learned from AA, though, that it's not good to be afraid to feel and work through grieving processes. I learned from you that there are things I can control and things that I can't control; one of the things I can control is the fact that I am in love with you."

Arianne smiled, "I'm in love with you too, Len," she replied softly. "This is such a lovely spot."

"I've stopped here sometimes on my way back to campus from AA and it's a good place for me to think," Leonard explained in a more upbeat voice. "Jim usually entertains himself by taking off his socks and shoes and going as deep as he can into the water without getting his uniform wet; it's a bit funny…"

Arianne gently leaned against Leonard, "Len, it wouldn't be right to go off to Georgia by ourselves and not offer Jim the chance to see his brother," she said, feeling as if Jim would not be very understanding if they didn't offer him the chance to go visit Sam at Christmas. "I know their last meeting didn't go…"

"I'm not sure if he will," Leonard replied in a worried voice. "Not after the whole suicide note."

Arianne nodded, but before she could reply, her private PADD suddenly buzzed. She sighed and quickly pulled it out of her pocket, expecting a message for an appointment. As she read it, she frowned.

"Len, read this," Arianne said in a worried voice as she held out the PADD to him. "It's from Jim."

_Arianne,_

_I'm back in my dorm in Cochrane Hall and Pavel's spending time talking to Dr. Harriman. I was gonna stay with Pavel, but I got a message from Sam and that moron held the funeral without me! He bypassed all of Starfleet's regulations, got Winona's body released to him, and had a private funeral with Aurelan and a few others at the Kirk farm because he thought I'd make a scene. I already forwarded the message to Captain Pike and now I'm going out to be by myself; I'll contact you when I want to be social again._

_Jim_

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Leonard said in a shocked, disgusted voice. "Sam's such a jerk."

Arianne sighed, "Len, I need to do some Christmas shopping," she said, needing to have a distraction before her anger at Sam caused her to act inappropriately. "Do you need to do any shopping for your Mom or any friends you might want to get Christmas presents for? Christmas Eve is tomorrow and…"

"I might see if I can get something for my mom," Leonard replied softly. "Can we avoid the mall?"

Realizing that malls would have Santa Claus setups that would remind Leonard of Joanna, Arianne nodded and patted his hand as she pocketed her personal PADD, "I'm sure we can find some small stores somewhere downtown," she said in a reassuring voice. "Maybe we can go out to dinner too?"

"I'd like that," Leonard replied in a relieved voice. "Why don't we walk on the beach for a bit first?"

Arianne nodded, sighed, and smiled as she allowed Leonard to lead her down the quiet beach.

* * *

_**Downtown San Francisco – 1800 H**_

"…A snowstorm is expected to hit San Francisco by seven tonight," a voice said through a radio-com.

Arianne chuckled as she gazed up at the puke-colored sky that was already spewing heavy flakes of white snow and was relieved that she had worn her winter coat that day, "Do you think we should just get something to go and head back to campus?" she asked as she heard the door to the shop open.

"I don't know," Leonard replied in a concerned voice as he checked his PADD. "Should we…?"

Arianne sighed and she looked at Leonard, only to see that he looked worried, "I haven't heard from Jim yet, either," she replied in a concerned voice. "I hope he doesn't end up sick like he did in Georgia."

There was suddenly a loud crash from down the street and Leonard and Arianne turned their attention to the noise just in time to see a man get tossed out of a building and into a snowbank at the curb.

"Oh!" Arianne cried anxiously as she hurried down the street to where the man was laying face down in the snow with his arms hanging limply by his side, "Sir, are you okay?" she asked in a worried voice.

The man didn't respond and Arianne carefully rolled the man over in case the snow was making it difficult for him to breathe, "Oh!" she cried, suddenly realizing that she was staring at an unconscious Jim and that he had a bad gash on his forehead. "Len, it's Jim! It looks like he got beat up or something."

"Oh man," Leonard said in a heavy voice as he knelt down in the snow. "Jim, can you hear me?"

A faint cough escaped from Jim's lips, "C-Cupcake was in there," he said in a faint voice.

Arianne's eyes narrowed and she entered the building that Jim had been thrown out of. Her gaze moved around the lounge until it rested on Hendorff, Finnegan, and two senior cadets all sitting at the bar.

"You think it's funny to toss Jim out in the snow, huh?" Arianne asked sharply as she approached them.

Hendorff scoffed indignantly as he picked up a drink from the counter, "I heard about the reporter at his and McCoy's dorm this morning," he replied as he took a swing. "Little punk always wants attention."

"Hey Pike, why don't you forget about your little shadow and join us for a drink?" one of the senior cadets who Arianne knew as Anthony Marcus, asked in a slurred voice as he moved close to Arianne and put his arm around her. "You're a cute cadet and I've been wanting to ask you out for a while…"

Disgusted, Arianne immediately pulled away and was horrified when Anthony grabbed her arm, "LET GO OF ME!" she yelled in an angry voice. "I don't know how they did things on Alpha Centauri, but here…"

Anthony pulled Arianne close and she promptly punched him so hard that he slammed against the bar counter, "HEY!" the bartender yelled anxiously as he hurried to a vid-phone to call the police.

Scowling, Anthony stumbled back over to Arianne, "Finnegan, Hendorff, help me cool this feisty babe off!" he shouted as he grabbed Arianne around the waist. "Come on, babe; show me what you can…"

The door suddenly banged open and Arianne suddenly felt Anthony being forced away from her, "I do NOT want you touching my girlfriend like that EVER AGAIN," she heard Leonard say in a tone that dared anyone to mess with him right before there was a loud crashing sound. "Bartender, call the cops…"

Swallowing hard, Arianne looked around and was shocked to see Jim sitting next to a heater holding a bloody rag to his head, "Jim, are you okay?" she asked anxiously as she walked over to him.

"What happened?" Jim asked, his eyes widening as he heard sirens outside. "Aw, crap."

Arianne scoffed as she saw flashing red and blue lights outside; could this night get any worse for them?

* * *

**_Police Precinct – 2000 H_**

"Miss, would you like a drink of water?" Arianne heard a gruff voice ask. "Are you feeling all right?"

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne opened her eyes and saw a uniformed officer standing beside the bench where she was sitting until the mess could be sorted out. They had all been brought to the station and Hendorff, Anthony, and Finnegan had all been put in holding cells while Leonard and Jim had been sequestered in an interview room that was being guarded. Paramedics had been called by the precinct and Arianne had been given the unpleasant task of phoning her father and explaining what happened.

It was fortunate; her father had just gotten back to campus from spending the entire day on the Enterprise and he had been relatively calm when he had been told what happened downtown.

Of course, Arianne knew that her father always kept calm on the phone and saved his primary reactionary emotions, namely concern and frustration, for when he could be on hand at a situation in person. She had seen this multiple times when he had come to her defense when she was younger.

"Miss?" Arianne heard the officer ask again. "Do you want some water or to make a phone call?"

Arianne sighed, "No, thank you," she replied in a tired voice. "I just want this day to be over with."

The officer nodded and the precinct doors suddenly slid open as Arianne looked at the floor, "I'm Captain Christopher Pike of Starfleet," she heard her father say. "I was called about an incident…"

There were footsteps and Arianne opened her eyes again just in time to see Spock and Amanda come over to her, "Spock, Lady Amanda, what are you doing here?" she asked in a confused voice.

"My mother has come to Earth to celebrate the Terran holiday of Christmas with me and we were preparing to go into the Terran section of San Francisco with Captain Pike for a meal when he received your call," Spock explained in a toneless voice. "We decided to accompany Captain Pike here to assist him."

Arianne nodded and bit her lip as her father walked over to her with a parental expression on his tired face, "Mind telling me what happened?" Chris asked in a fatherly voice. "This is the last place I expected to ever have to come for you. When I got your call, I wondered if you were pranking me at first, but…"

"Leonard and I were hanging out downtown and we found Jim unconscious in a snow bank outside of a lounge," Arianne explained in a tired voice. "I went inside and found that Cadet Marcus, Cadet Hendorff, Cadet Finnegan, and Cadet Rogers had roughed Jim up and threw him in the snow because of the reporter that showed up at Leonard and Jim's dorm this morning. Cadet Marcus was drunk and he started getting really inappropriate; it was coming to a head when Leonard came in and defended me."

Chris looked almost horrified at hearing that, but he merely nodded, "Stay out here with Commander Spock and Lady Amanda," he said in a gentle, but very firm voice. "I need to go talk to everyone else."

"…First Responder to Interview Room One," an automated voice spoke over the intercom. "Emergency."

The officer swore, "That's the room I stashed the dark haired fellow and the blonde fellow in," he said in an anxious voice as he grabbed a kit off the wall and hurried towards the interview room area.

"Dad, can I please go provide help?" Arianne asked softly. "If Jim's not doing well, he'll want me there."

Chris sighed and nodded, "Do what the officer tells you," he replied. "We're not done talking."

Nodding, Arianne got up and hurried after the officer, silently hoping that everything was all right.

* * *

To Arianne's shock, she saw Jim standing in the corner of the interview room in the sweats and white shirt that he had been given to wear while his clothes dried. The gash hadn't been touched yet and Jim's gaze was on Leonard, who was sitting crouched in the corner of the room with a hand on his chest.

The officer was kneeling beside the battered Leonard with the kit open on the floor and a small cuff on Leonard's arm that was connected to a small machine in the kit, "Bones and I were talking and he just started saying his chest was hurting," Jim whispered as he looked at Arianne. "I dunno what's wrong."

"Officer, I'm Lieutenant Pike of Starfleet," Arianne said in a concerned voice as she approached the officer and Leonard. "Is there anything I can do to help? I've had some medical training…"

For a moment, the officer was quiet as Leonard took a deep breath and winced, "Cadet Marcus forced my arms behind my back and slammed me into the bar just as the cops came in to break it up," Leonard explained as he rested his head against the wall. "I think I might have hurt a few ribs cause of that…"

"Lieutenant Pike, can you help Mister McCoy take off his shirt so I can have a look at his chest, please?" the officer asked in an official voice. "I'll radio for an ambulance if the injury looks serious."

Arianne nodded, knelt down next to Leonard, "Raise your arms," she said in a gentle voice, sighing patiently as Leonard slowly raised his arms and she gently removed his shirt, revealing bad bruising all over Leonard's chest. "Len, your chest is all bruised up. How hard did Marcus slam you into the bar?"

"I wasn't going to let him get away with being inappropriate towards you," Leonard replied in a tired voice that emphasized his Southern accent. "I guess this rules out going out to Georgia tomorrow."

Jim frowned, "You wanted to go to Georgia?" he asked in a groggy voice. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to ask you later if you wanted to come with me and visit Sam," Leonard replied in a pain-filled voice, closing his eyes to try and block out some of the pain. "All I want to do now is go to bed."

The officer stood up just as the door opened and two paramedics came into the room, "Take Jim first and come back for me," Leonard said in a commanding tone. "He was unconscious for at least three minutes and he was thrown into a snow bank that was right against a cement curb. I can wait."

"I'm not wearing one of those stupid collars, Bones!" Jim whined. "I just have a cut on my head!"

Silently cursing under his breath, Leonard slowly got up and took his shirt from Arianne, "Well then, Jim, you can sit in here and be a stubborn brat for all I care," he snapped, wincing as he put his shirt back on and slowly walked to the door. "I'm going back to the dorm, getting some tea, and going to bed."

"Bones!" Jim called out as Leonard left the room slamming the door behind him. "What just…?"

Arianne frowned and hurried out of the interview room just in time to see the front doors of the precinct slide shut. Amanda was looking rather alarmed and Spock almost looked concerned.

"Who was that dark haired man that stormed out of here?" Amanda asked in a worried voice.

Arianne sighed, "Where's my father at?" she asked, seeing that her father was not there.

"Captain Pike is conversing with Cadet Marcus, Cadet Hendorff, Cadet Finnegan, and Cadet Rogers in the cellblock area," Spock replied tonelessly. "All but Cadet Marcus are from the San Francisco area and although they did not plan to encounter Cadet Kirk this evening, they acted illogically when they…"

Arianne nodded, "Cadet Marcus is an exchange student from Alpha Centauri, isn't he?" she asked softly.

"Arianne dear, why don't we go for a little walk around the block and let Spock help Captain Pike figure this situation out?" Amanda suggested in a motherly tone. "Have you had anything for dinner yet?"

Arianne shook her head, "Well, I noticed a diner down the street from the precinct when we were coming here," Amanda said in an eager voice. "Why don't we go there and have a little food?"

"Arianne, I believe it would be in your best interest to take care of yourself," Spock stated. "In…"

The flurry of emotions that Arianne had been struggling with since the incident at the bar suddenly came crashing down and she sunk to her knees while hugging herself protectively, "Spock, can you please just back off for a minute?" she asked in an anxious voice as she felt tears in her tired eyes.

Instead of backing off, however, Spock knelt beside Arianne, gently placed his left hand on her face, and silently closed his eyes. Arianne immediately felt Spock's presence in her mind and she slowly relaxed.

"May I share this information with Captain Pike?" Spock asked as he opened his eyes and moved his hand off of Arianne's face. "It would help him to be able to deal with this incident appropriately."

Arianne nodded and slowly stood up, "Thank you," she replied softly. "Amanda, can we go eat?"

"Of course we can," Amanda replied gently, putting her arm around Arianne. "Spock, please be careful."

Spock gave a brisk nod and silently walked off towards the cell block, "Come on," Amanda said in a gentle voice as she gently steered Arianne towards the door. "Let's get out of this awful place."

* * *

_**Mission Memorial Diner – 2030 H**_

Christmas music filtered out of a stereo speaker that was in the corner while a middle-aged woman in a green sweater, black slacks, and an apron worked behind the counter where a half-filled coffee pot sat in a machine that was right next to a closed-in kitchen.

Arianne and Amanda entered the diner and the woman looked up, eager to see that two more customers had come in spite of the terrible weather.

"If you're here to actually buy something, welcome," the woman said in a brisk voice as Arianne and Amanda approached the counter. "If you're here just to get sick in the restroom, go somewhere else."

Arianne frowned, "There's a sick person here?" she asked in a concerned voice. "Have you called…?"

"I offered and he just asked for a place to get sick in peace before he walked the rest of the way back to where he was living," the woman explained in a cross voice. "I'm kicking him out in five minutes."

Before Arianne or Amanda could reply, a door opened and a pale, badly trembling Leonard came out into the eating area gripping to the wall for dear life, "I need to go to a hospital right now," he said in a faint voice as he saw Arianne and Amanda standing there. "I can barely breathe and I'm feeling so sick."

"Okay," Arianne replied in a gentle voice. "I just need to find a phone and call a cab to take us there."

Leonard sighed, "I called one before I went to the bathroom," he replied in a faint voice. "It should…"

Suddenly, a hovercab pulled up outside the diner, "Can you help me walk outside?" Leonard asked.

"I'll come with you and call Captain Pike from the hospital," Amanda said in a worried voice as she helped Arianne help Leonard walk across the diner and outside to the waiting hovercar.

* * *

**_San Francisco General Hospital – 2200 H_**

"Doctor McCoy, you are the last person I expected to see in the emergency room tonight," Dr. Piper said in a cheerful voice as he entered the exam room where Leonard was laying on a gurney with a blanket covering his chest and an IV in his hand while Arianne lingered nearby. "Hello there, Lieutenant Pike."

Arianne nodded, but didn't say anything, "I've got your x-ray," Dr. Piper commented as he reached into his pocket, pulled out a data chip, and plugged it into a screen that was mounted to the wall. "As you can probably tell, Leonard, you broke four of your true ribs and bruised your sternum really badly."

"Yup," Leonard replied tiredly as he blinked to be able to stay focused on the screen. "Ugh."

Dr. Piper quickly removed the data chip and pocketed it, "It's pretty late, so why don't I take care of your ribs and you can just rest here for the night?" he suggested in a gentle voice. "The weather's bad."

"With all due respect, no thanks," Leonard replied tiredly. "I just want to sleep in my bed in my dorm."

Arianne sighed, but was prevented from speaking by Dr. Piper's scowl, "You're going to need supervision and assistance walking for at least a week," Dr. Piper replied in a sharp voice. "Don't punish yourself by forcing your injured body out of here alone and then isolating yourself from the kindness of others."

"Len, maybe you should just let yourself rest," Arianne commented softly, feeling extremely bad that Leonard was now too injured to go to Georgia for Christmas because he had come to her rescue yet again. "It's been a long night and you still need some fluids anyway, so just take a breather, all right?"

Too exhausted and sore to argue, Leonard sighed and sat up, "I'll stick around long enough to get my ribs wrapped and finish off this IV," he replied tiredly. "I just want to be in my bed in my quiet dorm."

"I'll set and wrap your ribs now," Dr. Piper commented as he suddenly saw movement out in the hall out of the corner of his eye. "Ah, it's Captain Pike with Ensign Kirk! Kirk must have got scuffed up too."

Leonard scoffed and closed his eyes to relax and Arianne used the opportunity to quietly slip out into a back corridor and over to a comm terminal that was usually used by medical staff. She silently punched in Mrs. McCoy's number and was relieved when Eleanora's face immediately appeared on the screen.

"Mrs. McCoy, I don't know if you remember me," Arianne said in a worried voice. "I'm calling for Len…"

Eleanora suddenly looked worried, "Has something happened to my baby boy?" she asked worriedly.

"Leonard got in a fight defending me from some cadets who were being inappropriate towards me," Arianne explained in a worried voice, mentally preparing herself for Eleanora's angry reaction. "He ended up getting some broken ribs after the cadets beat him up and he's in a lot of pain right now."

Eleanora gasped, but nodded, "Where are you calling from?" she asked. "Starfleet Medical?"

"San Francisco General Hospital, actually," Arianne replied nervously. "We were out on a date when…"

Eleanora's eyes widened, "Please take care of my Len, won't you?" she asked in a concerned voice.

Arianne cringed, "It's my fault he's injured," she replied anxiously. "I don't think he wants me to."

"Arianne Christine Pike, it is _not_ your fault that Doctor McCoy was injured tonight," a sharp voice suddenly spoke from behind here. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to Mrs. McCoy alone."

Arianne turned and saw her father standing there looking as close to angry as she had ever seen him because she was bashing herself, "Ensign Kirk is getting patched up in the exam room next to Doctor McCoy's," Chris stated firmly. "If you don't want to sit with Doctor McCoy, go sit with Ensign Kirk."

"Are Commander Spock and Lady Amanda here?" Arianne asked softly, hoping that they were.

Chris shook his head, "Lady Amanda was getting tired and Commander Spock took her back to the Vulcan Embassy to rest," he explained in a slightly softer tone. "She's hoping you'll visit her in the next couple of days so you two can catch up properly since she's going back to Vulcan after Christmas."

"I'll comm Amanda tomorrow," Arianne said in a tired voice. "See you later, Mrs. McCoy."

Before her father or Eleanora could reply, Arianne walked off towards the room where Jim's cut forehead was being treated, but she lingered in the hallway instead of intruding on Jim's space.

Jim quickly noticed her, however, and waved her in, "I didn't think you wanted me around since I was the cause of the fight," Arianne commented as she entered the room. "How are you feeling, Jim?"

"Pike's forcing me to be his houseguest for the next week because I lost consciousness for less than five minutes," Jim replied in a groggy voice as he tugged at the hospital gown he was wearing. "They took my clothes to prevent hypothermia and stuck me in a spotted dress. Pike said he'd get me some scrubs…"

Arianne sighed tiredly, "Consider free food, access to reading materials, and a roof over your head with a man you consider a father an early Christmas present," she commented in a tired voice as the doctor put a bandage over Jim's stitched forehead. "Jim, can you tell my father that I walked back to campus?"

"No way are you walking back to campus tonight," Jim replied worriedly. "It's terrible outside."

Arianne's eyes narrowed as she glared at Jim, "You're tired and you're taking it out on me," Jim gently chided, seeing nothing but exhaustion and guilt in Arianne's eyes. "Maybe you need to have a rest."

"I commed Leonard's mother and told her it was my fault that Leonard got hurt," Arianne said in a tired voice as the doctor left the room. "My father heard me and I just feel like it's my fault since Leonard can't go to Georgia to be with his mother over Christmas now; he was looking forward to it."

Jim sighed, "Okay, you've got to stop this self-hating thing," he replied in a blunt tone. "Please?"

"Okay," Arianne replied softly as the door opened and Dr. Piper came in. "Doctor Piper, what…?"

Dr. Piper sighed, "Doctor McCoy's ribs are taken care of and he's asking to be released, but he's in no shape to be going anywhere on his own," he explained. "He's asking to see you and Ensign Kirk."

Jim quickly hopped off the exam bed and kept surprisingly quiet as he followed Dr. Piper and Arianne into the next exam room. Leonard was sitting up on the exam bed with bandages around his bruised chest and a scowl on his face, "Can I get a shirt that I don't have to pull over my head?" Leonard asked.

"Bones, just put your jacket on," Jim replied tiredly. "I'll be back after I get some scrubs."

As Jim sauntered out of the room, Dr. Piper removed his white lab coat, "Take this since you can't get a shirt on right now," he said in a gentle voice as he helped Leonard to put the lab coat on. "Leave it at Starfleet Medical when you're feeling better and I'll pick it up next time I volunteer out there, okay?"

"Yeah," Leonard replied in a tired voice as Arianne buttoned the coat up. "Thank you."

Arianne nodded and was surprised when her father came into the exam room, "Is Cadet McCoy ready to be released, Doctor Piper?" Chris asked in a commanding tone. "Did you give him everything he needs?"

Dr. Piper nodded and handed Leonard a small white bag, "Here's some pain meds and the instructions are on the bottle," he said in a calm voice. "I really advise you, however, to seek out supervision…"

"Cadet McCoy will be recovering at my on-campus house," Chris replied in a no-nonsense tone. "After I got off the comm with his mother, I called the Academy and they're sending a private hovercar here."

Leonard opened his mouth to protest, but Chris put up a hand to silence him, "I already told your mother that you'd be recovering at my house and that you weren't stupid enough to seclude yourself in your dorm with four broken ribs," he said in a no-nonsense voice. "She'll call my house tomorrow."

"Let me get this IV out of your hand and then get an orderly to bring you a wheelchair," Dr. Piper said in a calming voice. "I'll also send a note to Doctor Puri to schedule you for a follow-up in the new year."

Leonard nodded and cringed as Dr. Piper removed the IV from his hand and put a band-aid over it, "I don't want a wheelchair," Leonard said in a pain-filled voice as he slowly got up off the bed and immediately grabbed to the bed for support. "It hurts to walk, yes, but I'll just take it really slow."

"Arianne, you and Kirk go wait in the foyer and comm me when the private car gets here," Chris said in a no-nonsense tone. "I want to have a private word with Doctor McCoy and Doctor Piper, all right?"

Arianne nodded and silently dragged Jim out of the exam room so that her father could talk to Leonard.

* * *

_**Captain Pike's Residence – 2100 H**_

Arianne sighed as she came down the stairs in a pair of Academy-issue pajamas after getting a blanket and pillow from her room and helping Jim into bed in the spare room. Leonard was laying on the couch sound asleep and oblivious to the small, sparsely decorated tree in the corner or the Christmas music that was streaming out of a small CD player that her father kept on top of the portable fireplace.

The kitchen light was on and Arianne wandered in there to see her father sitting at the table in his own Starfleet-issue pajamas with a mug of steaming liquid and a PADD in front of him, "I brought a pillow and blanket down for Leonard, but he's already asleep," she commented softly. "Did he take any pain meds?"

"No," Chris replied calmly. "I replicated him some tea and slipped a dissolvable sleeping pill into it. Of course Doctor McCoy tried to fight going to sleep, but I reassured him that the pill would help him and he decided to let it."

Arianne nodded and yawned, "I should probably go to bed soon," she replied. "It's been a long day."

"Yeah," Chris replied calmly. "Just so you know, Cadet Hendorff and Cadet Finnegan were released and immediately reported back to their dorms to spend the rest of the holidays on house arrest. Cadet Rogers was sent to his family's residence in Sausalito for the remainder of the month and Cadet Marcus is going to be released in the morning and transferred to Mental Health wing of Starfleet Medical for the rest of the holiday."

Arianne sighed tiredly, "Didn't Cadet Marcus come from Alpha Centauri on an exchange program?" she asked softly, having heard rumors on campus about him. "Admiral Marcus is in charge of things there."

"Admiral Marcus felt that his son could possibly benefit from the discipline that Starfleet had to offer and asked me to let Anthony spend the year here in the Command Track," Chris replied, not at all surprised that rumors about Anthony's conduct had spread. "I have sent Admiral Marcus and the other Academy officials information about what happened tonight and we will meet in January about it."

Another yawn escaped Arianne's lips as she nodded, "Go to bed, kiddo," Chris commented in a gentle voice as he smiled at his tired daughter. "We can talk about this another time. I love you, goodnight."

"Good night, Daddy," Arianne replied sleepily as she hugged Chris. "I love you too. Get some rest."

Chris nodded and sighed as Arianne silently left the room and went upstairs to her own room.

* * *

**_Vulcan Embassy Canteen – 1200 H_**

The sun was out and only a light layer of snow covered the ground, but Arianne was nonetheless relieved to be indoors after her experience the night before, "Arianne?" a voice suddenly asked.

Arianne looked away from the window and was slightly embarrassed to see Amanda standing there in a long Vulcan dress with a concerned expression on her face, "The food we asked for became ready and when I turned to the table, you weren't there," Amanda said in a worried voice. "Are you all right?"

"I had trouble sleeping last night," Arianne admitted softly as she hugged herself. "Bad dreams…"

Amanda nodded and sat on the window seat next to Arianne, "Before I met Sarek and even before we were dating, I wasn't treated well by certain people because I was very different than everyone else wanted me to be," she explained in a gentle voice. "It doesn't matter what others think of you or how they treat you; what matters is what you think of yourself and how you treat yourself, you know?"

"Yeah," Arianne replied softly, suddenly feeling ashamed of herself. "Amanda, I'm so weak."

Amanda looked surprised at that comment, "No, you're not," she replied in a firm, yet very determined voice as she studied Arianne's expression and found it full of doubt and fear. "You're very strong."

Tears filled Arianne's eyes, "I'm supposed to be this great counselor who's overcome incredible odds and is helping others at Starfleet, but I can't even keep myself under control when something happens to me," she explained in an anxious voice. "Sometimes I hate myself for being so different, Amanda."

"You shouldn't," Amanda replied calmly. "Being different isn't a bad thing, Arianne; you're special."

Arianne sighed and suddenly looked nervous as Spock came down the corridor in his Starfleet instructor uniform with a stylus under one arm, "Mother, Lieutenant Pike, I was under the impression that you two were going to have lunch with one another." he stated, his voice betraying a slightly confused tone.

"We were just talking before we went to eat, Spock," Amanda replied calmly. "What are you doing?"

Spock raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and Arianne had the distinct impression that he didn't want to talk about it in front of her, "Amanda, I think I'm going to go and get something to eat," she said as she stood up and walked away from Spock and Amanda. "Please excuse me, both of you."

"Lieutenant Pike!" Arianne heard Spock call as she walked away. "Mother, I do not understand…"

Arianne swallowed hard as she walked over to the food trays that were filled with various vegetarian dishes that had spoons in the trays. She picked up a plate, bowl, and cutlery before moving along the line and taking time to look carefully at each item to decide whether or not she wanted to eat it.

"Lieutenant Pike, may I have a word?" Arianne heard Spock ask softly. "I must apologize to you."

Arianne sighed and scooped some pleomeek soup into her bowl, but said nothing, "I am assisting Captain Pike at the assault hearing in January and I am preparing a detailed account on what happened based on the information gathered from you and from the others involved," Spock explained in a quiet voice as they moved down the food line. "I hesitated to mention it to you because I did not wish to cause you further distress during what is supposed to be an enjoyable time. I see that I was in error."

"Admiral Archer is going to put me on probation or worse because he'll say that I let Leonard get into trouble when I could have stopped it," Arianne stated softly. "He warned me a long time ago that if Leonard got into trouble again, I would be the one who paid the price. It's now happened and…"

Spock raised an eyebrow and Arianne carried her food over to a table near the wall where Amanda was already sitting, "Amanda, aren't you going to get some food?" Arianne asked in a worried voice.

"I will in a moment," Amanda replied calmly. "Spock, did you talk to your father this morning?"

Spock offered a nod, but said nothing as Arianne ate a few bites of her pleomeek soup, "I'll be returning to Vulcan after Christmas because Sarek doesn't like me being away for so long," Amanda explained, silently relieved to see Arianne eating. "I'm planning to come back in April, though, for graduation."

"Graduation?" Arianne asked in a soft voice of confusion. "Hasn't Spock already graduated?"

Amanda chuckled and looked amused at that question, "Arianne, I'm coming back in April to see you graduate," she replied in an amused voice. "That is, if you want me to come and see you graduate."

"I hope I'll be graduating after Admiral Archer finds out what happened during break," Arianne replied in an anxious voice as she finished the rest of her soup. "He'll blame me for everything going wrong."

Amanda smiled, "I'm looking forward to your graduation," she replied gently. "Don't worry so much."

Arianne nodded and picked up her cup, "Let's just enjoy Christmas Eve, shall we?" she suggested.

Amanda nodded and looked to Spock, "I am only slightly familiar with this Terran holiday, but I will attempt to enjoy it for the sake of my mother and sister," he said in a toneless voice.

"Oh, Spock," Amanda replied in an amused voice. "There's nothing to do but simply enjoy yourself."

Spock nodded and Arianne sighed as she sipped her beverage; things would turn out all right.

* * *

**_Copernicus Village – Luna_**

Admiral Archer fought to keep himself from cursing loudly as he read the message that Chris had sent him concerning yet another incident involving Arianne Pike, Jim Kirk, Leonard McCoy, and a few other cadets at a civilian lounge. He had warned Arianne to keep tabs on McCoy's behavior and she hadn't.

Letting out an aggravated sigh, Admiral Archer slouched on the couch in the rental he was staying in over the holidays so he could do the investigation into the medical facility per Starfleet's orders; it wouldn't be right to punish McCoy when he had come so far since attempting suicide in 2255, but he also had to make a point of reminding Arianne of what she had agreed to do at McCoy's last hearing.

"Admiral Archer, you have an incoming call," an automated voice suddenly spoke over the intercom.

Swearing under his breath, Admiral Archer scooted across the couch and tapped the video screen that was on a small console next to a small lamp. Almost immediately, T'Pol's face appeared on the screen.

"T'Pol, what can I do for you?" Admiral Archer asked in a concerned voice. "Is something wrong?"

T'Pol was quiet for a moment, "A pressing issue has developed," she finally replied in a worried voice.

"What's wrong?" Admiral Archer asked in a concerned voice, seeing that T'Pol was very unsettled.

As T'Pol explained the situation and how those involved would begin to display uncharacteristic behavior even in simple situations, Admiral Archer's eyes widened in shock; could it really be true?

* * *

**_Captain Pike's Residence – 0030 H – Christmas Day_**

_Merry Christmas. _Arianne silently thought to herself as she sat at the table in her Academy pajamas with a cup of cocoa in her hands.

It had been a wonderful day with Spock and Amanda and now she was alone while her father, Jim, and Leonard were all asleep in their rooms. The peace was comforting and was a nice break before the worries of the next semester haunted her.

Footsteps suddenly made their way across the floor and Leonard entered the kitchen in the pajamas that Jim and her father had forced him to change into earlier that day, "What are you still doing up?" Leonard asked in a pain filled voice as he shuffled over to the table and sat down next to her. "I didn't think that you still had sleeping problems? Do you need a hypospray?"

"I'm enjoying the peace and quiet," Arianne replied softly as she looked at Leonard. "Have you eaten anything today?"

Leonard sighed, "I had a cup of vegetable soup at seven when I was last awake," he replied tiredly. "Soup's all I can eat."

Arianne nodded, set the cup down on the table, and gently caressed his hand, "You'll get better with rest, time, and medicine," she said in a reassuring voice as she scooted her chair closer to his. "I hope the next year brings nothing but happiness for all of us, especially you and I."

Too tired to speak, Leonard nodded and cuddled against Arianne and she gently put an arm around him since it hurt him to move much. Little did either of them know that the next year would bring events to pass that neither of them ever thought possible. All that they knew now would soon be changed drastically.

* * *

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	37. January 2258: Trials of Change

**January 2258**

**Orbital Spacedock**

"…It is with great pride that I take command of the fleet that has been ordered to the Laurentian System," Captain Harriman said in a professional voice as he stood behind the podium and looked out at all of the officers who were part of the primary fleet, the Command staff who had come to witness the departures, and the few cadets who had managed to get the day off from classes to attend.

Arianne smiled and clapped along with the rest who were there and had listened to the speeches made by the various Captains in the primary fleet, but she wasn't feeling happy at all. Christmas and New Year's had gone smoothly enough, but a hearing concerning the incident at Christmas awaited her.

"Lieutenant Pike, I am reluctant to disrupt your enjoyment of this ceremony, but is necessary that we leave immediately in order to arrive at the hearing on time," Arianne suddenly heard Spock whisper.

Arianne sighed and took a last look at the crowd, the various senior staffs of the primary fleet, and Captain Harriman before she turned and followed Spock out into the corridor, "I thought the hearing wasn't until later, Spock?" she asked as she followed him towards the nearest airlock.

"While I was waiting in the corridor, I got a priority message from Captain Pike that Admiral Marcus had traveled to Earth from Alpha Centauri and was demanding that the hearing take place immediately," Spock explained in an almost annoyed voice as they reached the doors and he pressed the button.

Arianne nodded as the airlock opened and she stepped into the shuttle, "Alpha Centauri's a fair distance from here, so Admiral Marcus must have had something to say," she commented as Spock got into the shuttle and closed the airlock. "Spock, can I admit that I'm a little afraid of how this is going to go?"

"Fear is perfectly natural," Spock commented as he sat on a passenger seat. "Will you take us out?"

Swallowing hard, Arianne nodded and moved to the pilot's seat, where she sat and quickly disengaged the external initial dampeners before initiating the launch sequence, well aware that Spock watched.

* * *

_**Starfleet Command – Boardroom – 1300**_

"This hearing is now in session," Admiral Barnett said in a commanding tone. "We have convened to discuss the events that happened on December 23, 2257 at a civilian lounge in San Francisco and we will begin by hearing from Lieutenant Arianne Pike since she was at the center of what took place."

Arianne immediately looked at Spock, as he was serving as her counsel for this hearing and wouldn't do anything unless he advised it, "I advise that you proceed with caution," Spock spoke tonelessly.

Swallowing hard, Arianne stood and silently walked to the front of the room where Admiral Barnett, Admiral Marcus, Admiral Archer, and several other members of Starfleet Command were sitting at a small, horseshoe-shape table in front of a single chair that was next to a large recording machine.

Behind the table where she and Spock sat, Cadet Marcus, Cadet Hendorff, Cadet Rogers, and Cadet Finnegan were all sitting on one side of the room with a with two armed Security guards standing on either side of their chairs. On the other side, Jim and Leonard were sitting with Captain Pike.

"State your name and rank for the record, please," Admiral Barnett said in a commanding voice as Arianne sat in the chair and clasped her hands together nervously. "There's no need to be nervous."

Arianne nodded, "Arianne Christine Pike, Lieutenant, Academy Counselor and Cadet in the Command and Medical Tracks," she replied in a professional voice. "My graduation is set for April 2258."

"If you would please explain the sequence of events that occurred on December 23, 2257," Admiral Barnett stated in a professional voice. "Be sure to include as much details as you can recall."

Arianne sighed, "At 1800 hours on the day in question, Cadet McCoy and I were walking around downtown San Francisco after spending some time together and we came across a man lying face down in the snow," she explained in as steady a voice as she could manage. "I rolled the man over and was horrified to discover that it was Cadet Kirk and that he had been beaten up and thrown out of the building closest to the snow bank. Cadet Kirk managed to identify Cadet Hendorff as being in the building as he came to consciousness shortly thereafter and I left Cadet Kirk in Cadet McCoy's care."

"What did you do after you left Cadet Kirk in Cadet McCoy's care?" Admiral Barnett asked curiously.

Arianne swallowed hard, "I went into the building and found that it was a lounge," she explained in a calm voice, suddenly realizing that all eyes were on her. "I found Cadet Hendorff, Cadet Marcus, Cadet Rogers, and Cadet Finnegan at the bar and I asked them if they thought it was funny to throw Cadet Kirk into a snow bank. Cadet Hendorff responded that he had heard about the reporter at Cadet Kirk and Cadet McCoy's dorm that morning and he also said that Cadet Kirk was an attention seeking punk."

Cadet Hendorff suddenly looked very uncomfortable, but didn't say anything, "Cadet Marcus suddenly interrupted our discussion and invited me to join them for a drink with the suggestion that I ditch my shadow," Arianne continued nervously. "Cadet Marcus then put his arm around me and then he pulled me close when I refused. It was at that point that I punched him, but he persisted and grabbed me around the waist. As I was trying to fight him off, Cadet McCoy came in and pulled him off of me."

"What was Cadet Marcus's condition at the time of this altercation?" Admiral Barnett asked.

Arianne sighed as she fought to keep from shuddering, crying, or showing any emotion that might discredit her testimony, "He was intoxicated," she replied softly. "It was apparent that Cadet Hendorff, Cadet Marcus, Cadet Rogers, and Cadet Finnegan were also intoxicated by their unusual behavior."

"I see," Admiral Barnett replied in a neutral voice. "What happened after Cadet McCoy got involved?"

Arianne swallowed hard, "While Cadet Marcus and Cadet McCoy were fighting, the police arrived and came into the lounge just as Cadet Marcus threw Cadet McCoy into the bar," she stated softly. "Cadet Marcus was immediately escorted from the lounge by one officer while the other helped Cadet McCoy up off the counter. The first officer came back and then escorted Cadet Rogers, Cadet Hendorff, and Cadet Finnegan to the squad car. Cadet McCoy, Cadet Kirk, and I were detained at the lounge until another police car could come. At the station, everyone was escorted away and I was told to wait in the foyer and to also to contact someone who could come pick me up. I phoned my father for help."

"And not long after your father arrived in the company of Commander Spock and Lady Amanda Grayson, you left in the company of Commander Spock and Amanda Grayson?" Admiral Barnett asked, having spoken privately to both Spock and Amanda at the end of the previous month before Amanda left.

Arianne nodded, "Correct," she replied in a nervous voice. "It was better for me not to be there."

"Understood," Admiral Barnett replied as he looked at his fellow Admirals. "Any questions?"

Admiral Archer said nothing, but he looked exceptionally angry, "I believe I speak for my fellow Admirals when I say that Lieutenant Pike has given all the required information in a satisfactory manner," Admiral Marcus spoke up in a tight voice. "I'd actually like to hear from Cadet McCoy now; is that all right?"

Chris looked down at Leonard, who sighed and slowly stood up with a hand over his healing ribs, "Cadet McCoy, would you please come up?" Admiral Barnett asked. "Lieutenant Pike, return to your seat."

Arianne stood up and quietly returned to the table with Spock, her worry increasing when she saw how slow Leonard had to walk because of his healing ribs. Without any warning, Jim got up and, ignoring Chris's whispers to come back, he hurried up to Leonard and helped him walk up to the chair and sit.

"Thanks," Leonard whispered as Jim moved away from the chair. "Do I have to stand up at all?"

Admiral Barnett shook his head, "State your name and rank for the record," he replied tonelessly.

"Leonard Horatio McCoy, Ensign, Medical Cadet and Shift Doctor at Starfleet Academy," Leonard replied in a professional tone. "Sorry for my slowness in getting up here, but I sustained some broken ribs when Cadet Marcus threw me into the lounge counter. I spent the entire Christmas break resting on Captain Pike's couch on a diet of water and vegetable soup and I went back to my dorm on New Year's Day…"

There was some murmuring from the Admiral as they regarded how loose Leonard's cadet uniform had become, "The record we got from Doctor Piper says you were treated at San Francisco General Hospital and that you were given painkillers upon your release," Admiral Archer spoke up. "If that's the case, why did it look like you were having difficulty walking up here? Painkillers usually take the pain away for…"

"The only medication I've taken since the incident was a sleeping pill that Captain Pike slipped into my tea after I was patched up and recovering at his house," Leonard replied in a sharp voice. "Yes, Doctor Piper did give me a prescription of painkillers, but I got rid of it after I arrived at his house."

Arianne looked almost horrified at that admission, but she kept quiet, "What do you mean by that, Cadet McCoy?" Admiral Archer asked in a confused voice. "What, did you dump them in the sink?"

"No," Leonard replied in a semi-cross voice. "I stashed the bag in the coat closet so I didn't have…"

Realization suddenly washed over Arianne as she sat next to Jim, "I didn't want to risk getting addicted to them," Leonard continued somberly. "I didn't exactly get off to the best start here, but…"

A silence fell over the room and Leonard looked down so that nobody would see the tears forming in his eyes as he recalled his suicide attempt, "Admiral Archer, I don't believe that Cadet McCoy's recovery is the focus of this hearing," Admiral Barnett spoke up, clearly confused what the point was.

"My point is that Cadet McCoy is so focused on helping and standing up for others, but he still has trouble helping and standing up for himself," Admiral Archer said in a voice that dared anyone to argue with him. "He went into that fight knowing that he wasn't a match for Cadet Marcus because Cadet Marcus is one of the top students in the Hand-To-Hand Combat class and McCoy isn't a fighter…"

Admiral Marcus briefly looked impressed at hearing his son was a top student in something, but he quickly assumed a neutral facial expression, "The issue at hand is the conduct of Cadet Marcus, Cadet Hendorff, Cadet Rogers, and Cadet Finnegan," Admiral Barnett spoke up, unnerved by the sight of Cadet McCoy being close to tears. "If you four would please come up, a verdict has been reached."

There was more silence as Cadet Marcus, Cadet Hendorff, Cadet Finnegan, and Cadet Rogers all came up to the front of the room without so much as a look at anyone else, "Cadet Kirk, before I pass a verdict, was anyone besides Cadet Hendorff involved in injuring you?" Admiral Barnett asked commandingly.

Swallowing hard, Jim stood up, "I still can't remember everything from that night," he admitted in a nervous voice as he looked at Admiral Barnett. "I was at the lounge thinking through some personal issues and I was suddenly harassed by all four of them. Hendorff did tell me that I was an attention seeker, but I don't know if he ever laid hands on me. I think all four of them had a hand in it…"

"I see," Admiral Barnett replied in a sharp voice. "The fact is, Cadet Kirk, that none of these cadets should have ever laid a hand on you and they did, which resulted in McCoy also getting hurt. As superintendent of the Academy, it's my job to ensure that things like this don't happen. Cadet Rogers and Cadet Finnegan, you will both be required to take the fourth year of your track and you will not graduate until next year, but you're both still in the Academy. Cadet Hendorff, you will be on academic probation and your off-campus privileges will be revoked for the remainder of the semester; if you keep out of trouble for the rest of the semester, I will allow you to graduate with the rest of your class."

There was another silence as Admiral Barnett looked at Cadet Marcus, "Cadet Marcus, the other Command members and I have talked with your father and we have agreed that it's in your best interest for you to undergo supervised, in-patient counseling before we take any further action," he said in a less stern voice. "I have assigned Lieutenant Pike and Doctor Puri to also conduct a mental health evaluation on you during your stay at the Mental Health facility. Your family is welcome to stay with you…"

Cadet Marcus nodded, but said nothing and silently hugged himself, "This hearing is adjourned," Admiral Barnett said in a commanding voice. "Everyone is dismissed and all are excused from classes for today."

Arianne was silent as she watched Admiral Marcus get up from the table and walk over to where Cadet Marcus was standing while the rest of the Admirals were deep in discussion. She waited until her father had gotten Jim out of the room and then she went over to the chair where Leonard was still sitting.

"How are you feeling?" Arianne asked in a quiet voice. "Can you make it back to your dorm okay?"

Leonard sighed, "I think I can if I take it slow," he replied as he slowly stood up. "How about you?"

Before Arianne could reply, Admiral Marcus and Cadet Marcus walked over to them, "Lieutenant Pike, I do not believe a mental health evaluation will be necessary," Cadet Marcus said in a quiet, but nervous voice as he swallowed hard. "I think I might have a mental illness caused by prolonged exposure."

Leonard looked concerned, but Arianne nodded, "Do you suspect what mental illness you might have?" she asked in a soft, but professional voice. "Mental illnesses are treatable and nothing to worry about."

"I would like to continue this discussion in a private place and I would also like Doctor McCoy to join us if he could," Admiral Marcus said in a clipped voice. "Do you have an office, Lieutenant Pike?"

Arianne nodded and motioned for Leonard, Admiral Marcus, and Cadet Marcus to follow her unaware that Admiral Archer was watching all of this play out with a suspicious scowl on his youthful face.

* * *

_**Starfleet Medical – 1400 H**_

"My wife and I first went to Alpha Centauri from Earth on a NX-02 shuttle when she was pregnant with Anthony and it was the worst shuttle I'd ever been on, but we didn't have a choice," Admiral Marcus explained in a somber voice as he and Arianne stood outside the patient bay, watching through the glass as Leonard stood beside the bed where Cadet Marcus lay in his reds restrained by a stasis field. "I guess there was a radiation leak or something and Anthony ended up being born on that crappy shuttle…"

Arianne nodded, but didn't speak, "Premature babies are always hard, but we were on a planet that barely had an operating station with minimal supplies," Admiral Marcus explained in an anxious voice. "I knew that there was something wrong when Anthony was an aggressive child, but his mother and I worked through that with him, but I thought Starfleet might be able to help him even more."

"Mental illnesses can be treated, Admiral Marcus," Arianne replied calmly. "I have ADHD and Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, but I was lucky enough not to need medication. I overcame great obstacles and accomplished great things, but I think that Anthony might need mood stabilizers to help him."

Admiral Marcus sighed and nodded, "I want him to be able to stay in Starfleet if that's possible," he said in an anxious voice. "I know putting him on a starship full of people is probably a bad idea, but if he can get some credentials, maybe I can get him a posting on a station or planet. He's too skilled to…"

"I've heard rumors that Starfleet is going to open up a special program that will prepare and equip interested people to establish a Starfleet presence on Deneva," Arianne said, silently appreciating Jim's illegal habit of hacking the Command database to keep on track of developing Starfleet projects.

Admiral Marcus looked intrigued, but before he could reply, Leonard came out into the hallway with a stylus in one hand, "Cadet Marcus wants to go through with a mental health evaluation now that he feels safer," Leonard explained as he handed the stylus to Arianne. "Here are the assessment forms."

"Lieutenant Pike, am I allowed to discuss your thoughts with members of Academy Command?" Admiral Marcus asked in an intrigued voice. "What you suggest is much closer to home for him than here…"

Arianne nodded and sighed as Admiral Marcus walked off, "I have to get my report on this to Doctor Puri," Leonard explained in a concerned voice. "After you're done here, do you wanna take a walk?"

"Sure," Arianne replied in a calm voice. "I'll comm you when I'm finished here, all right?"

Leonard nodded and Arianne silently entered the patient bay, unaware that Leonard was still at the window to make sure that nothing happened, "Cadet Marcus, how are you feeling?" she asked in a gentle voice as she approached the bed where Cadet Marcus was laying. "Any pain anywhere?"

"I think I was having a manic spell on that evening when I attacked you and Cadet McCoy," Cadet Marcus replied softly. "Everything just felt so intense and I needed to deal with it right away."

Arianne nodded, "Security might not be the best fit for you then," she replied softly. "Maybe Science would be a better career to pursue; there are things in Science that would be able to help you…"

"Biploar disorder's supposed to be gone," Cadet Marcus replied in a whisper. "Why did I get it?"

For a moment, Arianne was silent because she didn't think that being exposed to radiation as a baby would be enough to cause it, "Can you fill this out for me, please?" Arianne asked in a gentle voice as she handed Cadet Marcus. "It's a mental health sheet that will help me properly diagnose…"

"Sure," Cadet Marcus replied as he looked at the stylus. "Can…can I ask a question, Lieutenant?"

Arianne nodded, "Of course," she replied nervously. "What would you like to know?"

"Cadet McGivers is living with us on Alpha Centauri right now and she said that there's a guy named Professor Khan who knows how to help people," Cadet Marcus said in a hopeful voice. "Do you think that I could ask this Professor Khan guy for help? I don't want to be sick like this; I want to be well."

A sick feeling washed over Arianne and she sighed, "Khan is not a professor and he never was," she said in a soft, slightly trembling voice as she looked at Cadet Marcus. "The man who passed himself off as a professor here is actually Khan Noonien Singh and he murdered a cadet's father a few months ago. I would not recommend you seek Khan's help for anything. There are safer ways to ask for help."

Cadet Marcus nodded and silently began working on the stylus. Arianne made her way out of the patient room, down the corridor, and into the nearest fresher where she promptly threw up.

* * *

Even after seeking counseling from Spock, the mere mention of Khan was enough to make her want to throw up, Arianne thought as she stared at herself in the mirror. Khan was the reason that she had compromised her ethics, gave into Doctor Puri's plea, and had sent the pregnant Marla away…

Pain shot through Arianne's skull and she keeled over the sink; it was a migraine caused by guilt, stress, and anxiety that had come from the sudden reminder, "Who's getting sick in there?" a voice asked as Arianne suddenly heard a knock on the door. "Medical override, McCoy, Alpha 654345, Delta Three…"

Another wave of pain shot through Arianne's skull and she keeled over just as the door slid open, "Whoa," she heard Leonard say in a concerned voice as she felt someone touch her shoulders.

"I just need a minute," Arianne whispered even though she remained there. "Got a migraine."

There was a soft thump and a click, "You need a pain reliever?" Leonard asked worriedly.

"I actually could use a nap," Arianne replied in a pained voice. "I just don't have time for that."

Leonard sighed and quietly loaded a hypospray, "How much longer do you think you'll be helping Cadet Marcus?" he asked in a concerned voice. "Why'd you leave him filling out the assessment alone?"

"I just needed a moment to think," Arianne replied, too scared to tell him what she had done.

An uneasy feeling washed over Leonard and he frowned, "What are you not telling me?" he asked in a concerned voice as he moved around so that he could see Arianne's face. "Living with Jim for three years has made me pretty good at being able to tell when secrets are being kept. What's wrong?"

"I compromised my ethics to protect a patient last year and potentially put a lot of innocent people at risk," Arianne replied in a crestfallen voice as she looked up at Leonard with an anxious expression.

Leonard frowned, "What are you talking about?" he asked in a concerned voice. "What patient?"

"Len, you know I'm bound by confidentiality rules," Arianne replied softly. "I-I can't bear it…"

Leonard's eyes narrowed as Arianne got up and left the fresher, "Wait a minute," he said as he followed her back to the door leading into the patient bay. "What exactly did you do that's making you so…?"

"Lieutenant Pike, I want a word with you right now!" Admiral Archer snapped in an irritated voice as he suddenly burst into the foyer. "McCoy, go and do something productive instead of eavesdropping!"

Arianne sighed, "I'm working with Cadet Marcus, Admiral," she replied tersely. "Can't it wait?"

"No," Admiral Archer replied in an infuriated voice. "McCoy, take over Cadet Marcus's care."

Leonard's eyes widened, "My office, right now," Admiral Archer snapped. "Follow me."

"I think Admiral Marcus would prefer that I finish taking care of his son," Arianne replied coolly.

Admiral Archer's eyes widened, "Admiral Marcus has no say about what cadets I wish to see and when I wish to see them!" he snapped in an angry voice. "I want to know how you found out about the project on Deneva even though it's not set to be announced until next September! Do you hack the system…?"

There was a silence and Admiral Archer sighed, "Cadet Kirk," he hissed. "I should have known that Kirk would hack the system, find out the information, and give it to you. Kirk's a bad apple and bad apples…"

"Jim's been through enough this year already without you breathing down his neck," Arianne snapped in an aggravated voice. "He's like the brother I never had and I will defend him even with my own life."

A throat suddenly cleared and Arianne turned to see two Security officers standing there, "You indirectly committed a Security violation and that's punishable by arrest," Admiral Archer explained in a no-nonsense voice as one of the Security officers held out a pair of open wrist clamps. "Guards…"

"Sorry, Lieutenant Pike," one of the guards said as he put the clamps on her wrists and closed them.

Leonard's eyes widened as the two guards escorted Arianne out of Starfleet Medical, "You patronizing idiot!" Leonard shouted in an angry voice as he glared at Admiral Archer. "What did you do that…?"

"Keep it up, McCoy," Admiral Archer replied in a sharp voice. "And you'll find yourself expelled."

Swallowing hard, Leonard scowled and promptly went into the patient bay to do Arianne's work.

* * *

**Starfleet Security – Cellblock Area – 2000 H**

Her cadet jacket, her PADD, and her communicator were on a table just on the other side of the forcefield next to the table where a tired looking Cadet Hendorff was sitting, silently working on a homework assignment on a PADD and not paying attention to her at all. Arianne sighed as she lay on the cot staring up at the gray ceiling; she hadn't been given anything to do or any food to eat, but…

The doors slid open and Chris entered the room in his Instructor uniform, causing Hendorff to drop the PADD and leap to his feet at attention, "At ease," he said in a sharp voice. "Lieutenant Pike?"

Swallowing hard, Arianne quickly got to her feet and stood at attention, "Yes, sir?" she asked softly.

"Imagine my surprise when I got an email from Admiral Archer informing me that you had been arrested for indirectly breaching Starfleet Security by having access to classified information," Chris stated in a voice that was devoid of all emotion. "It didn't take me long to figure out that Ensign Kirk was the one who had accessed the information about the Deneva project and so I had a little chat with him."

Arianne nodded, but said nothing, "I don't know how you got the information, but Admiral Archer informed me that you suggested it to Admiral Marcus as a way to help Cadet Marcus stay in Starfleet despite having bipolar disorder," Chris stated. "I also thought you'd like to know that Cadet Marcus told Doctor McCoy that he'd be interested in switching from Security to Science when he was well enough."

"That's good news," Arianne commented softly. "Mental illness should not define a person."

Chris nodded and folded his arms, "Hendorff, drop the forcefield," he ordered in a firm voice.

"Sir, I have orders from Admiral Archer to keep Lieutenant Pike in here until 0600 tomorrow morning," Cadet Hendorff replied in a nervous voice. "Apparently, Cadet McCoy got mouthy with him…"

Chris sighed, "Has Lieutenant Pike had any dinner or access to a PADD?" he asked sharply.

"It's not on the orders, sir," Cadet Hendorff replied nervously. "Admiral Archer will have my head…"

Scoffing, Chris picked up Arianne's personal PADD, deactivated the forcefield, and walked into the cell with the PADD held out, "You're allowed to do your homework, check your Academy email, and read the local area and Starfleet news," he explained as he handed her the PADD. "See you tomorrow."

"Yes sir," Arianne replied nervously as Chris stepped out of the cell and reactivated the forcefield.

Cadet Hendorff paled as Chris shot him a sharp look, "Make sure Lieutenant Pike gets some basic dinner rations and is allowed visitors," Chris said sternly. "If I hear of you mistreating her, midnight PT for you."

"Understood," Cadet Hendorff replied, nervously inputting orders as Chris left the cellblock area.

Swallowing hard, Arianne returned to the cot and silently began to do her homework as Cadet Hendorff quickly sent out a coded request for one of the cadets in their year to bring Arianne some dinner rations.

The scars on her arms had faded with time, Arianne thought as she silently looked at her scarred forearms as a break from homework, but the memories of how she got the scars would always be imprinted in her mind. Each scar meant some sort of willing or unwilling sacrifice she had made.

"Homework's boring enough that you have to look at scars to pass the time?" a voice asked.

Arianne looked up and was surprised to see Leonard standing there in his medical uniform with a box of Starfleet dinner rations in one hand and a medkit in the other, "Starfleet regulations require all in the custody of Starfleet to undergo a basic medical exam," Leonard explained in a professional voice as he approached the cell. "I'm on clinic duty tonight, but the clinic's slow so Doctor Puri sent me over here."

Fighting the urge to chuckle, Cadet Hendorff deactivated the forcefield and Leonard stepped into the cell, "If you could put your PADD down please," he said in a professional voice as he set his medkit on the floor, opened it, and took out a medical tricorder. "Is it all right if I scan you, Lieutenant Pike?"

"Of course, Doctor McCoy," Arianne replied in a calm voice as she set her PADD down on the cot.

Leonard activated the tricorder and silently scanned Arianne with it, "How are you feeling?" he asked in a concerned voice, not looking up from the tricorder. "You had a migraine this afternoon and I just…"

"It's gone now," Arianne replied softly as she rubbed her hands together. "I'm just very tired now."

Leonard nodded, "Not surprising since you've hardly had anything to eat all day," he replied in a professional voice as he put the tricorder back in the kit. "You're dehydrated and you need food and a nutria-drip as well as a good night's rest. I would take you to Starfleet Medical and take care of all that if Admiral Archer wasn't such a glorified ego-maniac who insists that Jim is a bad influence on you…"

"Jim's like the brother I never had," Arianne replied softly. "I heard you sassed off Admiral Archer."

Letting out a sigh, Leonard shrugged, took out a portable drip box, and gently hooked it to Arianne's left arm, "He threatened to expel me, what else is new?" he replied in a dry voice. "He's already restricted Jim to campus for the next two months and is insisting on teaching every Ops class from now til April…"

"Pavel," Arianne whispered, suddenly remembering what Pavel had told her. "I need a favor."

Leonard nodded and Arianne sighed, "Go to Captain Pike and tell him that Admiral Archer is threatening to keep Cadet Chekov from a ship posting because of the incident with Professor Khan," she said in an insistent voice, not noticing that Cadet Hendorff looked shocked at hearing that. "Can you do that?"

"Yes," Leonard replied softly as he repacked his medkit. "As long as you're going to be okay tonight."

Arianne chuckled, "I'm spending the night in jail, Doctor McCoy," she replied tiredly. "We'll see."

"Right, that concludes the basic exam," Leonard replied as he grabbed his medkit and stood up. "I highly recommend you eat the dinner rations and then take it as easy as possible. Have a good evening."

Arianne nodded and was surprised when Leonard gently wrapped his arms around her and gave her a light, but tender kiss on the lips before leaving the cell. Cadet Hendorff silently reactivated the forcefield and went back to reading his PADD, so Arianne turned her attention to the rations that Leonard had left.

As Arianne ate, she peered at the chronometer that was in just above the door and was surprised that it was 2100 H; she would be released at 0600 H tomorrow and she didn't know what mess awaited her.

* * *

**Dormitory – Boyce Hall – 0700 H**

After enduring a night with hardly any sleep and being released without so much as a word, Arianne entered her dormitory and was surprised to see Christine sitting on her bed in her cadet reds with a PADD in one hand, "Don't you have class at 0500, Christine?" Arianne asked in a tired voice.

"It was cancelled today," Christine replied as she watched Arianne sit on her bed. "How are you?"

Arianne sighed and rubbed her face, "I wouldn't recommend spending a night in jail," she replied in a tired voice as she lay down on her side. "I don't think I'd ever had such a sleepless night in my life."

"Um, Pavel said he was going to come by," Christine replied in a nervous voice. "He was worried…"

Arianne nodded, "Well, considering I was arrested at Starfleet Medical in broad daylight, I wouldn't be surprised if the news of it ended up all over campus, "she replied in a tired voice as she rested her unwashed hair on the pillow and held up her hand. "I had to be put on a dripbox of fluids in jail."

Christine nodded and then suddenly started giggling, "I can't believe Hendorff actually got away with what he did," she replied in an amused voice. "Hendorff sent a message to Leonard last night and reminded him of his responsibility as a doctor to ensure the health of anyone in custody. I was on duty last night as part of practicum, so I saw Leonard convince Doctor Puri to let him go do your exam and Doctor Puri told Leonard to make sure that he took rations with him. Everyone hates Admiral Archer…"

"I thought Hendorff and his buddies hated me?" Arianne asked in a confused voice. "Ever since…"

Christine shook her head, "Hendorff and his buddies hate Jim, but not you," she explained in a concerned voice. "They think that you've got a lot of courage and are a great example to them."

"It could have been worse," Arianne replied as the door chime sounded. "Oh great, now what?"

Christine quickly got up from her bed, walked over to the door, and pressed the button, "Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to see if the rumors were true," Hikaru said as he came into the room with Pavel, who immediately brightened at seeing Arianne. "I heard you spent the night at Starfleet Security…"

"Yup," Arianne replied in a tired voice as she took her personal PADD out of her pocket and quickly accessed her schedule. "I've got A-Level Command Simulation Class in an hour, but I can't imagine walking in there and being given any level of respect after last night. I'm thinking of skipping class."

Pavel looked alarmed at hearing that, "Nyet, you cannot skeep," he protested in an anxious voice as he sat on the edge of Arianne's bed. "Today eez my turn in ze command chair and I am wery nerwous."

"All right, I'll come to support you," Arianne replied in a reassuring voice. "I'll see you there, all right?"

Pavel let out a squeal of delight and got up, "Yes!" he replied in an excited voice. "See you zere!"

As Pavel dragged Hikaru from the room, Arianne looked at Christine and started to laugh.

* * *

**Bridge Simulator Room – 0800 H**

"…Students, today's roster is as follows," Captain Pike's voice filtered out of an intercom that hung from the ceiling above the simulation room. "Cadet Chekov will be in command, Cadet Pike will man the helm, Cadet Sulu will man Ops and Navigation, Cadet Uhura will be manning Comms, Cadet Riley will be manning Engineering, Cadet Tomlinson will man Environmental Ops, and Cadet Chapel will man Medical. We have a special guest manning the Tactical and Science positions, Commander Spock."

Arianne frowned as she took her place at the Helm; Jim had been registered for this class, yet he was nowhere to be seen. Had he decided to skip or did he change his schedule to avoid being near her?

"The scenario will be a simple training cruise near Klingon space that is disrupted by a Klingon Bird of Prey that is on a patrol and thinks you're planning to attack," Captain Pike's voice said in a commanding tone as the doors opened and Spock entered the Bridge, immediately walking to Pavel's side. "Captain Chekov, it is your responsibility to address the situation as you see fit and it is also the job of your crew to help provide suggestions in helping you get your ship and crew out of this situation unscathed."

Pavel nodded, "To your stations, eweryone," he said in a commanding voice. "I vant status reports."

"Five, four, three, two, one," the intercom's automated voice said. "Simulation beginning now."

There was a beep and Nyota looked at Pavel, "Captain, we are being hailed by a Klingon Bird of Prey that is just over the border line," she said in an anxious voice. "They say we are invading their territory."

"Attempt to contact zem," Pavel replied in a nervous voice. "Meester Spock, any suggestions?"

Spock was silent for a moment, "I recommend that you do not show fear when speaking to the Klingons because they will use your fear to their advantage," he replied in a toneless voice as he looked at Pavel.

"Why have you invaded our space?" a gruff, Klingon-sounding voice suddenly spoke over Comms.

Pavel sighed, "Zees ees Keptin Pavel Chekov of ze Starsheep Endeavour," he said in as commanding a voice as he could muster despite being nervous. "Ve haff not crossed ze line eento Klingon space…"

The Bridge suddenly rocked, "Sir, they've fired upon us!" Hikaru reported. "Shield power is down…!"

"Mees Pike, transfer tacteecal pover to your station, raise our sheeilds, and fire," Pavel replied in a slightly nervous voice. "Meester Spock, use ze Science station to scan zer sheep for veaknesses."

Spock nodded and moved to the Science station while Arianne pressed a few buttons on the Helm console, "Tactical power transferred and shields raised, Captain," she replied as she used the targeting mechanism to lock on to the ship and promptly fired a few shots at it. "Our weapons have no effect!"

Before Pavel could reply, the Bridge rocked again and the Ops/Nav console exploded, sending Hikaru flying backward on to the floor near the command chair, "Shields are down to 50 percent!" Arianne said in an anxious voice as she looked at Riley. "Riley, give me some sort of power to put towards shields!"

The Bridge rocked again and another console exploded, "Shields have failed, Captain!" Arianne shouted.

"The warp core's on it's way to overheating," Riley reported nervously as Christine hurried to Hikaru.

Pavel was about to speak when the intercom whined, "Prepare to be boarded," the Klingon hissed.

"Vait, vat eef I agree to be your preesoner?" Pavel asked in a curious voice as he stood up as if he were speaking to the Klingon Captain face to face. "Eef I do zat, vill you let my crew and ship eescape?"

Arianne turned just in time to see Spock rise from his station, walk over to the command chair, and lean in close to Pavel, "Captain, are you sure this is wise?" she heard Spock ask in a toneless voice.

"I am ze Keptin and eet is my job to get ze crew and ze ship out of zees seetuation safely even eef I kannot be wiz zem," Pavel replied in a nervous, but firm voice. "I vant you to take care of ze crew…"

There was static, "Captain Chekov, beam over to our ship and once you are in our custody, we will greet you in the fashion that a Starfleet officer should be greeted," the voice said in a dark, amused tone.

The room suddenly went dark and then light flooded the room, "Exercise complete," an automated voice suddenly said. "All participants are to report to Briefing Room One for mission debriefing."

"Wow, Pavel, that was an incredible job!" Hikaru said as he got up off the floor. "You were so brave!"

Arianne stood up and watched as Hikaru, Nyota, Christine, Riley, and Tomlinson all crowded around Pavel and gave him encouraging words, "Ve should get to ze briefing room," Pavel said in a nervous voice, taken aback by all the positive attention he was getting. "Keptin Pike wants to talk to us."

"I can talk to you all in here," Chris said as he came into the Sim Room. "Everyone take a seat."

Arianne silently sat in the Helm chair and noticed that Spock, Hikaru, Nyota, Christine, Riley, and Tomlinson were all quick to take their seats while Pavel remained standing, "From what Starfleet knows about Klingons, they are very aggressive and honor driven," Chris explained as he walked up to Pavel and gazed around at the rest of the crew. "Chekov, I think your strategy of trying to honorably sacrifice yourself for your crew's safety is commendable, but in situations like this, there are no guarantees."

"Yes, sir," Pavel replied in an obedient voice. "I had to at least give eet a try; how could I not?"

Chris nodded, "Right, that's it for today's class and I'll have your marks with comments posted on the class forum by 1800 hours," he said in a professional voice. "Lieutenant Pike, a word please."

Arianne waited until everyone else had left and then she stood up, "How was your night in jail?" Chris asked in a concerned voice. "I shouldn't tell you this, but Cadet Kirk is sick with grief over the fact that you got arrested because he hacked some classified information. He was too sick to come today…"

"Is anyone looking after him?" Arianne asked in a concerned, but tired voice. "Why didn't you…?"

Chris sighed, "Admiral Archer had him out running last night and Jim could barely make it back to his dorm at dawn," he replied in a concerned voice. "Jim's in a panic because he thinks that you're still in the Brig and he's telling himself that it's his fault that you got arrested because he got the information."

"Am I allowed to see him?" Arianne asked in a worried voice. "Or is that an arrestable offense too?"

Again, Chris sighed, "He's in his dorm with the door locked," he replied softly. "If you can get in…"

Nodding, Arianne was silent as Chris left the room and then she began to think of a plan.

* * *

A beep told Arianne that the door was unlocked and that she could now enter Jim's dorm.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne pushed the door open and took off the manual override clamps she had used to force the door. Jim was in his bed with his knees drawn up to his chest and nothing but a pair of sweats and a t-shirt keeping his body warm. His cadet jacket, blanket, and clothes were on the floor.

"Jim?" Arianne asked in a concerned voice as she approached the bed. "Jim, are you okay?"

Jim silently lifted his head and Arianne held out a small bag of food that she had gotten from the canteen, "How'd you break out?" he asked in a barely audible voice. "You were arrested."

"I spent the night in the Starfleet Security cell block, Jim, I wasn't shipped off to an off-planet penitentiary," Arianne replied in a concerned voice. "Why did you blow off class this morning?"

Jim sighed and suddenly began to cry, "I blew up at Bones this morning and kicked him out because he spent the night worrying about you," he explained through his tears. "I was trying to find out about projects Starfleet was going to have open by graduation because I thought that Sam might like something better to do than work at a hospital and also because they'll never let me on a ship…"

"Jim, you don't know that," Arianne replied in a concerned voice. "You're a brilliant individual…"

Jim sighed and sniffled, "I was just curious about the Deneva project and I didn't mean for you to get arrested for it," he replied in an anxious voice. "I feel like crap and super guilty, but I'm also…"

"Jim, shh," Arianne replied in a soothing voice as she set the bag on the floor. "What's wrong?"

Swallowing hard, Jim slowly sat up, but kept the blanket close, "I feel like my mind is going to explode sometimes and it's more than the ADD," he replied anxiously. "I have terrible dreams about that Vulcan named T'Pol sometimes and I wonder if she screwed with my mind when she melded with me."

"What can I do?" Arianne asked softly, knowing that Jim wouldn't want that spread around campus.

Jim sighed softly, "Just be there for me even if I get crazy and do stupid things," he said in an anxious, but tired voice as he looked at her through his tired eyes. "Can you make me that promise, Arianne?"

"You've always been there for me through both the good and bad," Arianne replied softly. "Yes."

Jim nodded and took a deep breath just as the door opened and Leonard came into the dorm, "I figured you're the one who broke into the dorm," Leonard commented dryly as he walked over to his desk and picked a few PADD's up off the counter. "I just came to get a few PADD's for my next few classes."

"Bones, I'm sorry about kicking you out," Jim spoke in such a soft voice that Leonard looked at him.

Arianne was silent as Leonard nodded, "Now that you see that Arianne is all right, are you going to be okay?" Leonard asked in a concerned voice as he looked intensely at Jim. "You scared me pretty bad."

Jim shrugged and yawned, "Get some rest, Jim," Leonard replied gently. "I'll be back after class."

Arianne sighed as Leonard left the room and then she gave Jim a compassionate, but worried look.

* * *

Please read and review!


	38. February 2258: Repair With Love

**_February 2258_**

**_Starfleet Academy Grounds_**

"Three months til graduation," Jim commented as he and Arianne jogged around the perimeter of the Academy campus in their reds as rays of the sun peeked over the pink morning sky. "Crazy, huh?"

Arianne nodded as they reached the small hill where the Starfleet flag flew from a metal flagpole atop a stone monument that had been built to remember the founding of the United Federation of Planets, "I still don't know what postings I'm eligible to apply for yet," she replied in a tired voice. "I should…"

"Your dad's Captain of the Enterprise," Jim replied in a tired voice. "You're guaranteed a posting there."

Arianne sighed as she stretched, "My last name doesn't matter, but my grades and comments from instructors do," she replied in an anxious voice. "I've not been the best example for people lately and I won't be surprised if it comes back to haunt me when it comes time to get an assignment.

"Oh, come on," Jim replied in a disbelieving voice. "You've never been on academic probation or done anything remotely against what most competent instructors expect out of cadets at the Academy."

Arianne scoffed, "I've gotten under Admiral Archer's skin a fair amount of times and he's the head of Starfleet Command, or have you forgotten that?" she replied softly. "He can make or break careers."

"I said competent instructors," Jim replied in an amused voice. "Archer's not a spring chicken…"

Arianne's eyes widened in shock and Jim sighed, "Sorry," he replied softly. "That was inappropriate."

"It's all right, Jim, really," Arianne replied as she checked the chronometer that was above the plaque explaining what the monument was. "It's already 0700 and we've got that huge symposium today."

"I don't care where I get posted and I seriously doubt that anyone cares where I'm posted," Jim replied in a semi-agitated voice as he sat on the monument and checked his PADD. "I don't care if Sam takes notice of the email I sent him about the Deneva project or not; I'm just getting sick of everything."

Arianne looked at Jim curiously, "You sent Sam an email?" she asked in a curious, confused voice.

"Yeah, he's smarter than I am and could do some good on Deneva if he were interested in Starfleet at all," Jim replied in a tired voice. "I just want to be on some ship somewhere away from Earth…"

Arianne nodded and gently patted Jim's arm, "Jim, would it help if I told you that I'm not sure if anyone will take me seriously as a command officer?" she asked in a gentle voice. "They see me more as a counselor since that's what I've been doing since before the Academy. Command is something…"

"You're so much like Captain Pike," Jim commented tonelessly. "Always trying to help me feel better."

Arianne shrugged, but didn't say anything and Jim was quiet for a moment before he burst into laughter.

* * *

**_Academy Command Building – 1000 H_**

"Welcome to the Starfleet Symposium," an automated voice spoke over several ceiling loudspeakers.

Arianne sighed as she and Jim stopped at the front 'Information' booth where Gaila and Christine were sitting behind a small stack of styluses, "Do you want a map?" Gaila asked sweetly as she grinned and winked at Jim. "We have maps of where everything is at the symposium. The maps are free."

"Sure, we'll take a map," Jim replied, giving Gaila a mischievous grin as he picked up a stylus.

Gaila winked at Jim and smiled at Arianne, "Your boyfriend's speaking at a workshop promoting Starfleet Medical in a few minutes," she said in a sly voice. "There's a rumor that he's getting a posting soon."

"Really?" Arianne replied in a shocked voice. "I thought we weren't being given postings until April?"

Gaila grinned, "The people who already have qualifications on top of their Starfleet skills are being offered their post-grad assignments between now and April so that they aren't tempted to let their skills go to waste outside of Starfleet," she explained in an eager voice. "I'm excited to see what posting I'll get offered since I help out with the Kobyashi Maru testing on top of all the classes that I'm taking…"

"You help out with the Kobyashi Maru?" Jim asked in a curious voice. "I thought the instructors…"

Gaila shrugged, "I know more about programming than a lot of those pencil pushers in Academy Command, except for Commander Spock, that is," she replied in an amused voice as a group of cadets came into the building and up to the booth. "Would anyone like a free map of the symposium?"

"You should check out the workshop that Bones is running," Jim whispered as they moved into the large arena-like room that was full of booths or rooms hosting symposiums. "He'd want you there for him."

Arianne looked surprised, "Jim, I want to spend some time with you too," she replied in a surprised, amused voice as they looked over all the booths. "Leonard doesn't always want me by his side."

"You're not an embarrassment to him," Jim commented as they spotted an Academy Postings booth where a bored looking Pavel was sitting with a stack of PADDs next to him. "Isn't that Pavel?"

Jim nodded and Arianne led him over to the booth, "Velcome to ze Starfleet Acedemee Job Postings Booth," Pavel said in a toneless voice as he looked up at them with a stone face. "Vould you like to hear about ze many opportunities zat are at ze Starfleet Academy after you are graduated in Apreel?"

"I don't know if I want a job at the Academy," Jim commented absentmindedly, not noticing Pavel's crestfallen expression because he was looking at the map. "I was born in space and I would kinda…"

Arianne quickly held out her hand for a map, "I'll take a map, Pavel," she said, seeing Pavel's crestfallen expression over Jim's comments. "I thought you were going to talk to Admiral Archer about that?"

"I haff messaged heem many times," Pavel replied in an upset voice. "He never giwes me an answer."

Arianne frowned and quickly looked at her map, "Jim, can you stay with Pavel for a few minutes and maybe get some attention to his booth?" she asked, seeing that Admiral Archer was in one of the boardrooms with the rest of the Command staff in a 'top secret' meeting that was almost done.

"Where are you going?" Jim asked in a worried voice, seeing her determined expression. "Arianne…"

* * *

Fury filled Arianne's heart as she stormed through the room of booths and into the corridor to the conference rooms were being used for workshops and other official meetings that were happening that day since classes were cancelled. She found the room the meeting was in and waited patiently.

A moment later, the doors slid open and several Admirals came out in a single file line and only a couple of them noticed Arianne. Arianne sighed and made her way into the room where she saw Admiral Archer standing at the front of the room working on a computer that sat on an elevated podium.

"Lieutenant Pike, what can I do for you?" Admiral Archer asked in an official tone even though his eyes were focused on the computer and not on her. "I'm in a bit of a hurry, so please make it brief."

Arianne scowled, "I want to discuss your mistreatment of Pavel Chekov, Jon," she replied in a fierce tone, suddenly remembering that Jonathan had always been very stubborn. "It is going to stop."

Admiral Archer's eyebrows raised as he looked up at Arianne, "Excuse me?" he asked softly.

"Mistreatment of cadets over situations that are beyond their control is against the Federation Code," Arianne replied coldly, refusing to back down. "You've been bullying Pavel ever since you found out ever since he told Professor Khan about his father and that it contributed to Andrei Chekov's murder…"

Admiral Archer was silent for a moment and then sighed, "Long periods of time in space can make people lose their minds sometimes and what lives they know," he replied softly. "Long before Andrei Chekov had a family, he was a space explorer for a bootleg science corporation in Russia and he and his colleagues were neither friends nor enemies to Starfleet, but their work was monitored just in case anything out of the ordinary happened. During one of their expeditions, they came across this garbage freighter that was called Botany Bay and had frozen humans in it. Anyway, their curiosity got the…"

"Andrei Chekov was responsible for Professor Khan coming to Earth?" Arianne asked softly.

Admiral Archer shrugged, "I don't know how Khan got to Earth from wherever he was found and where the freighter is now, but Andrei freed him from his frozen state," he replied worriedly. "The short story is that Starfleet disassembled the bootleg corporation and gave Andrei a compensation for his trouble, but that only turned him into a violent drunk. I'm guessing that his wife and young Pavel suffered…"

"Ah, so you're punishing Pavel because Andrei did some stupid things in space and you've never forgotten that?" Arianne asked in a fierce tone. "Are you worried that Pavel will repeat history?"

Admiral Archer nodded, "Come on, Jonathan," Arianne snapped. "Pavel Chekov is a genius, yes, but he's also very kind, gentle, and compassionate; he's nothing like his father and he wants to succeed if Starfleet will just stop seeing him as a kid and give him a chance. I was given a chance, wasn't I?"

"You were," Admiral Archer replied, suddenly realizing that Arianne had changed from the person he had once knew into a person whose moral integrity overshadowed her desire to be a success.

Arianne nodded, "I'm not the same that I once was in that I now care more about people than I do about exploring and solving problems," she explained gently. "It's not fair that a mistake by the father should punish the child and we both know that. Don't let the past get in the way of your moral code."

Before Admiral Archer could reply, Arianne left the room and didn't stop until she reached the Academy Postings booth where Jim was standing on the outside of a small crowd of female cadets including Nyota that surrounded the booth, "The ladies can't resist Pavel for some reason," Jim commented as he looked at Arianne and saw the determined expression on her face. "Did you punch Archer out or something?"

"Nope," Arianne replied in a steady voice. "Jim, why don't we go attend Leonard's workshop?"

Jim was silent for a moment and then nodded, "Okay," he replied softly, suddenly very worried.

* * *

"…As you can see, Starfleet Medical was kind enough to provide a few test dummies and a good build of a starship Sickbay for this workshop and all of you who are wanting to serve on a ship can get a good feel for what you'll be working with," Leonard was saying to a small crowd that had gathered by the time Jim and Arianne arrived at the workshop. "You can either work on your medical skills or run through scenarios by programming the dummies. Just don't break anything or I'll be in deep crap."

The crowd slowly broke apart as everyone went looking around the Sickbay setup, "How's being in charge going, Bones?" Jim asked casually. "Christine said you were running a workshop; does that mean you're gonna be the Chief Medical Officer on one of the ships after you're done at the Academy?"

"With my record, I'll be lucky to get posted anywhere off of Earth," Leonard replied in a gruff tone as he picked up his stylus from the podium. "People who try to off themselves on the recruit shuttle don't exactly get posted to the best Starfleet assignments. Anyway, Puri was already picked as CMO…"

Arianne sighed, "Don't start that crap again, Len," she replied firmly. "I'm so tired of hearing it."

"What?" Leonard asked, shocked by Arianne's sudden firmness. "What are you talking about?"

Arianne scoffed, "Don't let the past get in the way of what you can do now and in the future," she replied in a gentle voice as she crossed her arms. "You're at the top of your classes, right?"

"I'm not sure where I stand outside of the classes, though," Leonard replied in a nervous voice, ignoring the shocked look Jim was giving him. "Those who are judged as exceptional by Academy Command in both inside and outside academics are getting word on their postings early and those who aren't will have to go through personal interviews with both Academy Command and the captains of each available assignment to see where they're best suited. They'll look at academic records and other things…"

Jim's eyes widened a bit and Arianne felt her heart sink a little, "Now, I've got a workshop to supervise and make a report on," Leonard commented firmly. "If you're not going to participate, just behave…"

"I'm going to take whatever position in Starfleet that they'll give to me," Arianne said in an exasperated voice, wondering what repercussions there would be for her talk with Admiral Archer. "I'm surprised that nobody in Academy Command has given you an assignment yet. You're at the top in Command…"

Jim chuckled as they left the room, "In classes," he replied in an amused voice. "Outside of class, I'm known as a renegade, an overgrown, hyperactive brat, and severely accident and trouble prone."

"Speaking of trouble, where are your glasses?" Arianne asked softly. "You should wear them."

Jim sighed wearily, "I forgot them because I slept in this morning and was in a hurry," he admitted in a sheepish voice as he shrugged. "Are we supposed to stay at this thing all day or can we go get them?"

"We can go get them if we hurry," Arianne replied in an anxious voice just as the door slid open and Leonard came out. "I wonder what Len wants? He's supposed to be supervising the workshop."

Jim turned and nearly bumped into Leonard, "You forgot these," Leonard said in a less terse voice as he reached into his pocket, took out Jim's glasses, and handed them to Jim. "Please try to remember…"

"Thanks," Jim replied nervously as he took the glasses and put them on his pale face. "Bones?"

Leonard raised an eyebrow, "Yes?" he asked, wondering what Jim wanted to ask him. "What?"

"I just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day, buddy," Jim commented in an amused voice.

Arianne was silent for a moment and then sighed, "You should get back to your workshop," she said in a quiet voice, not expecting Leonard to remember the day since he was so busy preparing for this. "Jim, I'm going to go and explore the symposium for a little while, but we can meet for lunch later, okay?"

"I want to go by the information booth and talk more with Gaila," Jim replied slyly. "See you later."

Arianne nodded and silently walked off. A moment later, Jim did the same, leaving Leonard alone.

* * *

_**Portable Canteen – 1200 H**_

A tray containing a small turkey sandwich, apple, a bag of chips, and a box of juice was what all cadets and officers attending the symposium were being served, but Arianne didn't mind; the canteen was rather quiet because a lot of cadets had either come and gone to the Academy canteen for lunch or they would come after lunch. Classes were cancelled that day, so she assumed many were also off campus.

"Lieutenant Pike, would you be adverse to myself and Lieutenant Uhura joining you?" Arianne suddenly heard as Spock and a disgruntled looking Nyota approached the table, both of them holding trays.

Arianne silently looked at Nyota, who wouldn't meet her gaze, "If neither of you are uncomfortable being around me, you can sit down," she replied calmly, wondering if Nyota would make a scene.

"I am not uncomfortable being around you," Spock replied tonelessly as he took a seat across from Arianne and set his tray on the table. "Lieutenant Uhura is free to do as she wishes for her meal."

Nyota was silent for a moment and then she sat down next to Spock and silently placed her tray on the table, "I must go exchange this sandwich for a vegetarian item," Spock said in a toneless voice, picking up the wrapped sandwich with his hand as he stood up. "I will return to the table momentarily."

As Spock wandered over to the table where the wrapped sandwiches were kept, Nyota leaned in close to Arianne, "So, Arianne, you're really not in love with Spock?" she asked in a curious voice.

"No, I am in love with someone else," Arianne replied softly. "He's a fellow cadet and also he's a…"

Nyota smirked, "Doctor?" she replied in an amused voice. "Are you talking about Leonard McCoy?"

"Is it that obvious?" Arianne asked in a hushed voice. "He knows I love him, but we're taking it slow…"

Nyota smiled, "Slow is good," she replied in an amused voice. "That wat neither of you feel pressured."

"Why are you talking to me, Nyota?" Arianne asked softly. "I thought you hated my guts."

Nyota looked surprised, "Look, I've spent a lot of time talking with Spock about you and it's obvious that you're not the kind of girl who messes around with professors for good grades and special privileges," she explained in an apologetic voice. "I started doubting that back when Elizabeth Dehner started trying to stalk Leonard even though he had made it very clear that he didn't want any relationships, and I…"

"I don't want to talk about Elizabeth," Arianne replied in a nervous voice. "She triggers bad memories."

Nyota was quiet for a moment and then nodded, "Not many want to talk about her anymore, but I've heard rumors that she's going to be moved off of Vulcan for some sort of rehabilitation therapy," she stated in a soft voice. "I sometimes work in the long range lab and I picked up a transmission…"

"As long as Elizabeth isn't moved back to Earth, I hope the therapy is successful and she has a productive life somewhere else," Arianne stated softly. "It would absolutely kill Leonard if she ever came back."

Nyota nodded and suddenly realized that Spock had left the cafeteria, "I guess Spock wanted us to talk and reconcile our differences," she commented, seeing that Spock's tray was still there. "He was strangely quiet last night and didn't eat much besides a cup of soup. I hope he's feeling all right."

"According to the information map Gaila and Christine gave me, Spock was one of the key organizers of this symposium because he knew that cadets needed to be aware of the many options they had available to them after graduation," Arianne explained as she picked up the map and offered it to Nyota.

Nyota took the map and skimmed the info page, "If Spock's was stressed about planning this thing, how come he was coughing last night in his sleep?" she asked in a worried voice. "Before I left his house this morning, I asked Spock why he was coughing, but he told me that it was normal for this time of year."

"Coughing in one's sleep isn't normal, especially for a Vulcan," Arianne replied in a concerned voice.

Nyota nodded, "I was wondering if you might want to check Spock over and convince him to go see a doctor," she stated in a worried voice. "You're in the Medical Track and you know how to diagnose…"

"I'm not an M.D., though," Arianne spoke, cutting Nyota off. "I can only examine and share concerns."

Nyota pouted, "You are one of the few, including me, that Spock actually trusts," she replied in an anxious voice. "I know you have a basic medkit in your dorm. Couldn't you just examine him a bit?"

Arianne was silent for a minute and then sighed, "I can examine Spock and try to convince him to go see a real doctor, but I can't do anything more than that," she replied softly. "Is that okay with you, Nyota?"

"Yes," Nyota replied in a relieved voice, grateful that Arianne was going to help. "When can we go?"

Arianne sighed as she bit into her sandwich, "I don't know where Spock would be at this time of day if he isn't staying around the symposium," she replied in a concerned voice. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Spock either spends his time at his office, his townhouse, or teaching," Nyota stated in a worried voice as she looked at the stylus. "Since there are no classes today, he most likely will go home to be alone."

Arianne nodded, quickly finishing up the sandwich, "Do you think Captain Pike will care if we blow off the symposium?" Nyota asked in a nervous voice. "We're supposed to be here for a while, I think."

"Nyota, you asked me to help you help Spock," Arianne replied softly. "Let's just get out of here."

Nyota's eyes widened at Arianne not being concerned about following the rules, but she kept quiet while Arianne got up and then followed her friend from the cafeteria, leaving a mess on the table.

* * *

**_Command Residences – Academy Campus – 1300 H_**

There was no answer when Nyota pressed the doorbell that was next to the front door of the townhouse where Spock lived, "Spock's home," Nyota hissed in a frustrated voice. "I know it."

"Just wait a moment and try again," Arianne replied softly. "Or use the override code to get in."

Nyota frowned, "Spock's a professor," she commented in a confused voice. "He doesn't have…"

"All professors have them and they're wired into the doorbell set to be triggered by a pressing the bottom part of the doorbell three times consecutively," Arianne explained gently. "I've lived on campus with my father most of my life and he's taught me everything I ever needed to know about it."

Looking slightly impressed about how humble Arianne seemed when sharing information that put her a step above other cadets, Nyota nodded and pressed the bottom of the doorbell three times as gently, but as quickly as she could. Almost immediately, the front door beeped and quietly slid open.

"In case of emergencies, each door of the command housing units are programmed with the manual override code," Arianne explained, following after Nyota as she entered the house. "Spock?"

There was silence and Nyota frowned as she saw that Spock's instructor jacket was hung on a hook by the door and that his boots were on a rack beside the door, "Spock, where are you?" she called out in a concerned voice as she moved over to the stairs. "Arianne, check the kitchen. I'll check upstairs."

Arianne nodded, but before she could walk into the kitchen, Spock appeared at the top of the stairs in a black pantsuit and black slip-on shoes, "I must question as to how you two were able to enter my home without me giving you access," Spock stated in a toneless voice that was clipped, but full of tiredness.

"I was concerned about you not being well, Spock," Nyota replied softly. "I asked Arianne to help me."

Spock raised an eyebrow, but he looked at the medkit that Arianne was holding, "I am not in need of medical assistance at this time," he commented tonelessly. "The coughing spells I experienced last night were part of an episode of anxiety that occurs on certain occasions and rest serves as a remedy…"

"You had a panic attack, Spock?" Arianne asked, cutting Spock off. "May I ask why you had one?"

Spock was silent and then broke into a coughing fit so severe that he had to sit on his stairs, "It is an unfortunate aftereffect of a forcibly broken bond," he stated in a toneless voice, unable to say more because he was coughing. Arianne quickly opened the medkit and pulled out a hypospray.

"This will help with your breathing," Arianne explained as she held out the hypospray for Spock to see.

Spock eyed the hypospray, gave a nod, and sighed as Arianne injected it into his neck, "What do you mean about a forcibly broken bond, Spock?" Nyota asked in a concerned voice. "And why do you not have these panic attacks all the time? Why do you only seem to have small ones during holidays?"

"Not all holidays trigger the anxiety attacks, Nyota," Spock replied as he got up and walked down the stairs to his living room. "When I lived on Vulcan, I had been betrothed to another Vulcan as a child…"

Nyota's eyes widened in shock, "However, when I chose to associate myself with Starfleet, the bond was broken by the other involved in a very painful manner," Spock explained in a toneless voice. "The aftereffects of such a thing are sensitivities to extreme cold and a vulnerable immune system during the times of year that are most associated with romantic overtures and expressing the emotion of love."

"You're sick because it's Valentine's Day, Spock?" Nyota asked softly, suddenly feeling compassionate.

Spock offered a nod, "Your analysis is crude, but accurate," he replied tonelessly. "Had it not been for the symposium today, I would have acquired a substitute instructor for my classes and spent the day in meditation. Captain Pike knows of my condition and would have granted me a day of absence."

Nyota frowned as Spock broke off in another coughing fit, "Because I did not meditate and focus on self-wellness today, I now have a painful cough that will most likely linger for several days," Spock explained in a toneless voice. "There was no need for you two to break into my dwelling."

"Well, excuse me for caring about you, Spock!" Nyota snapped. "I don't want anything to…"

Spock sighed and sank down on to the couch, "The aftereffects will disappear once I am bonded to someone in a secure way," he explained tonelessly. "Anger towards my self-neglect is logical given that we are in a relationship, but I do not want our relationship to progress until you are graduated."

"You want our relationship to progress after I graduate the Academy?" Nyota asked in a confused, but excited voice as she sat next to Spock on the couch. "Even if we end up doing different assignments?"

Not wanting to intrude on Spock and Nyota's personal discussion, Arianne silently left the house and silently walked back towards the Command building. She intended on spending the rest of the day browsing the booths, attending whatever workshops she could, and then going to the library to study.

There was a sudden beep and it took Arianne a couple of minutes to realize that her communicator was beeping, "Yes?" she asked in a tired voice as she pulled her communicator from her pocket.

"It's nice of you to answer your communicator, Lieutenant Pike," her father's voice replied. "Please report to my office immediately and expect to be here a while. We need to have a discussion."

Arianne sighed, "On my way," she replied in a slightly exasperated voice. "Lieutenant Pike out."

Swallowing hard, Arianne closed her communicator, pocketed it, and began the long walk towards the Command Building; she fully expected to be reamed out for approaching Admiral Archer about Pavel.

* * *

**_Captain Pike's Office – Starfleet Command – 1400 H_**

"You asked to see me, Captain Pike?" Arianne asked as she entered her father's office and saw that not only was her father sitting behind his desk, Pavel was sitting in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk looking very nervous. "Pavel, what are you doing here? I thought you were at one of the booths…"

Pavel shrugged, "I vas reliefed of zat job," he replied nervously. "I vas told to come here instead."

"Admiral Archer messaged me about an hour ago and informed me that you should be given a commendation for advocating for a fellow cadet," Chris explained as he gestured to the empty chair.

Arianne's eyes widened as she sat down in the empty chair, "Anyway, Pavel can't be assigned to just any starship because he is still technically a minor and still will be when he is set to graduate," Chris stated in a firm, but compassionate voice. "Pavel, if something were to happen to you out in space, I would have to be contacted immediately because I am your legal guardian for another year. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir, I do," Pavel replied softly. "Eet vas sveet of you to try and help me out, Lieutenant Pike."

Arianne nodded, but before she could reply, Chris sighed and picked up a stylus, "However, since I am your legal guardian, that means I also have input on what you'll be doing after graduation and I think you're too much of a gift to be left planetside," he explained as he held out the stylus to Pavel. "I've been keeping an eye on your grades and skillsets and I think that a Navigation position would suit you."

"Nawigation?" Pavel asked as he took the stylus and read it. "Zees says I am on ze Enterprise, but…"

Chris nodded, "At least until you turn 18 and then you can decide for yourself where you want to be," he replied in a reassuring voice. "The Enterprise's commissioning ceremony will take place at graduation."

Pavel nodded, "Now, Pavel, I want you to spend some time getting to know your way around the ship before then, so I've enrolled you in a Bridge Training Course that will start next month and is specifically for those who will be serving on the Bridges of the newer ships," Chris stated, smiling at how gleeful and shocked Pavel looked at having a ship assignment. "I would now like you to go enjoy the symposium."

"Sank you," Pavel replied as he stood up and looked at Arianne. "Are you going to ze symposium?"

Arianne shrugged, "I'd like to talk to Lieutenant Pike for a few minutes, actually," Chris spoke up in a gentle voice as Pavel walked over to the door. "I want you to go enjoy yourself for the rest of the day."

Pavel nodded and silently left the office, "I understand you and Cadet Kirk stopped by the Medical workshop earlier?" Chris asked in a curious voice as he turned his attention to Arianne. "How was it?"

"Doctor McCoy mentioned something that concerns me," Arianne replied softly. "He said that those who are judged as exceptional by Academy Command in both inside and outside academics are getting word on their postings early and those who aren't will have to go through personal interviews with both Academy Command and the captains of each available assignment to see where they're best suited. They'll look at academic records and other things and that makes me worry about my future."

Chris nodded, "McCoy's right, but you don't need to worry about your future," he replied in a reassuring voice. "The interviews are not going to serve as interrogation boards; their purpose is to review a cadet's academic and extracurricular records within Starfleet and to also review their medical and psychological profiles to see what posting would be best for a cadet now and in the future."

Thoughts of Leonard suddenly filled Arianne's mind and she knew that Leonard would have to re-face what he did in his early days at the Academy and that it might hurt his chances at success, "Dad, is there anything I might be able to do to help cadets make a good impression on the interview board despite any hiccups in their first year here?" she asked in a worried voice. "The past should stay in the past."

"Doctor Puri will be asking for your help in conducting updated reviews in the next several weeks because Starfleet's short on psychologists and I trust that you won't have any problems being professionally objective," Chris replied in a trusting voice. "He'll conduct your review, of course."

Arianne nodded, "In the meantime, why don't you try and mix a little socializing with all of the hard work you've been putting in since you came to the Academy?" Chris suggested. "It's Valentine's Day and I would assume that Cadet McCoy's got something nice planned for the two of you this evening."

"Actually, no," Arianne replied in a confused voice as she got up. "He completely forgot what today was, but I don't blame him for that because he's working really hard to redeem himself from his early days."

Chris's eyes widened at that, but he offered no comment, "Anyway, I think I'm going to walk around the symposium a little bit and then maybe go for a long walk somewhere," Arianne said in a tired voice, not wanting to talk about Valentine's Day anymore. "Happy Valentine's Day to you, Dad. See you later."

Nodding, Chris was silent as Arianne left the room and then he immediately went on to his computer.

* * *

_**Dormitory – Boyce Hall – 1700 H**_

The dorm was empty, which meant it was quiet. As Arianne sat at her desk looking over the notes from the classes that had been cancelled that day, she was well aware that the campus was probably filled with cadets that were celebrating Valentine's Day with fellow cadets whom they had an interest in.

A chime at the door caused Arianne to look up from her computer, "The door's unlocked," she said in a toneless voice, figuring it was either Jim come to talk about his latest fling or Christine coming to get ready for a date or talk about a date. She heard the door open, close, and heard male breathing.

However, when Arianne turned in her chair, she was surprised to see a nervous looking Leonard standing there in his cadet uniform with a small bouquet of fake flowers in one hand, "Would you like to go out to dinner at the canteen or somewhere off campus?" Leonard asked in a nervous voice as he held the flowers out to her. "The workshop did its last session two hours ago and I've written the report…"

"Len, you must be exhausted," Arianne commented, seeing that Leonard looked ready to go to bed.

Nodding, Leonard set the flowers down on the table, "I went off campus about an hour ago and found a florist that had some flowers that wouldn't die due to the cold," he explained as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, which he offered to Arianne. "I also got you a little present."

"You didn't have to get me anything, Len," Arianne replied as she stood up, her eyes widened as Leonard immediately got down on one knee. "Leonard Horatio McCoy, what are you doing?"

Leonard sighed as he opened the box, revealing a small necklace that had a small heart in the middle of it and a silver chain, "It's not a proposal," he explained as he got to his feet. "When I do finally get the nerve to propose to you, I'm gonna do it somewhere more romantic than an Academy dorm room."

"It's lovely," Arianne replied, deeply relieved that she wasn't being proposed to. "Thank you, Len."

Leonard smiled as Arianne held her hair up and he gently put it around her neck and fastened it above her Vulcan necklace, "It's a promise necklace," he explained in a gentle voice. "It's a hope that we can progress in our relationship after we're both out of the Academy. You're the first and only woman I've truly loved in a long time."

Arianne responded by letting her hair down and gently pulling Leonard into a tender embrace that quickly progressed into a passionate kiss, "I want to marry you and I know you want to marry me, but we should wait til we're finished the Academy," she replied as they pulled apart. "You complete me."

"I agree with everything you just said, darlin'," Leonard replied, smiling. "Where should we go?"

Arianne smiled, "Maybe just to the canteen," she replied, knowing Leonard had almost no money.

"Yeah," Leonard said in a gentle voice as Arianne's communicator suddenly started vibrating.

Letting out a sigh, Arianne released Leonard and pulled out her communicator, "Yes?" she asked.

"Arianne, it's Christine," Christine's voice spoke. "A bunch of us girls are getting together with dates and we're going to a place off campus to celebrate Valentine's Day. Did you and Leonard wanna come?"

Arianne looked at Leonard, who shrugged, "What kind of a place?" she asked in a concerned voice.

"Just a restaurant with dancing," Christine replied casually. "We're all going in our cadet uniforms."

Arianne sighed, "Where can we meet you?" she asked in a gentle voice, smiling at Leonard.

* * *

**_Mantra – San Francisco, California – 1800 H_**

A large window with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the setting sun was the first thing Arianne saw as she and Leonard entered the restaurant. The second thing she saw was Jim and Gaila standing near the maitre'd podium with a nervous looking Pavel and a dark-haired cadet who was next to him.

"Jim, I thought you weren't allowed off campus?" Arianne asked as they walked over to the window.

Jim grinned, "I offered to play chaperone for Pavel and his date tonight and Admiral Archer lifted my ban until midnight," he explained in a pleasant voice. "Of course, Captain Pike pulled some strings too…"

Zees ees Ireena," Pavel commented as he gestured to the dark haired cadet. "Ve are friends."

"Irina Galliulin," Irina said softly as she smiled at Arianne and Leonard. "I'm in the Science Division."

Pavel grinned, "Irina vas nice enough to invite me to zis party as a friend so I could haff fun on Walentine's Day," he explained in an excited voice. "She eez a top student in ze Science division and is involved in ze…"

"I am involved in a club that is headed by a Doctor Sevrin and helps us to theorize, locate, and pursue the mysteries that are in space," Irina explained in a smooth Russian accent. "I wouldn't expect you…"

Pavel scowled, but said nothing as Christine came into the restaurant with a handsome young cadet at her side, "Hello everyone," she said in a cheerful voice. "This is my steady boyfriend, Roger Korby."

"You must be the Doctor McCoy I've heard so much about," Roger said, immediately noticing Leonard.

Leonard's eyes widened nervously, "Excuse me, Roger, what are you talking about?" Arianne asked.

"Do you think everyone's forgotten about what you did on the shuttle for new recruits, McCoy?" Roger asked in a shocked voice as he ignored Christine and Pavel's horrified expressions. "You were dressed like a hobo, had a small flask in your hand, and mixed the booze with some powder and almost died…"

Christine covered her mouth and quickly turned away from Leonard, as did Irina, "You better shut your mouth right now, Roger Korby," Arianne hissed in an angry voice. "Unless you want me to reply."

"That's just the disabilities in you talking, Pike," Roger snipped as he looked around for a maitre'd.

Swallowing hard, Arianne cast a glance at Leonard, who was deathly pale and staring at the floor and then she looked at Jim, who was giving Roger a murderous glare, "You know what, I'm actually not all that hungry," Leonard commented in a barely audible voice before he turned and quickly left.

"Len," Arianne whispered in a shocked voice before she turned and looked at Christine, Roger, Gaila, Irina, Jim, and Pavel. "Christine, I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I hope all of you enjoy your evening."

Christine turned to Arianne, "Wait, Roger's just a very headstrong individual," she said in an anxious voice, following after Arianne as she left the restaurant. "You should join us for dinner anyway."

"Christine, I want to make sure Leonard's all right," Arianne replied softly. "I know that Roger's in all of Leonard's classes and is jealous because Leonard's at the top, but Roger's remarks went too far."

Christine nodded and sighed as Arianne held up her arm for a cab and a yellow hovercab quickly pulled up to the curb, "Make sure Jim behaves himself," Arianne said as she got into the back of the hovercab.

Arianne nodded as she closed the door, but she already had her communicator out and was trying to contact Leonard. Unfortunately, he was either on his comm or was choosing not to pick up.

* * *

**_Starfleet Medical – 2200 H_**

The foyer was dimly lit as Arianne came in and quickly slipped behind the desk to see if the computer could help her find Leonard. She sat down and was so busy searching that she didn't hear footsteps.

"Ahem," Arianne suddenly heard a voice say in a concerned tone. "Hacking into a hospital computer?"

Arianne looked up and saw Dr. Piper standing at the desk in a medical uniform with an amused expression on his aged face, "Lieutenant Pike, I'm surprised to see you here," Dr. Piper commented in a pleasant voice. "I thought you would be celebrating Valentine's Day with your Southern sweetheart."

"We went to a restaurant with a few other cadets and one of the cadets brought up Leonard's past," Arianne replied in a somber tone as she stood up. "Leonard got very quiet and walked out."

Dr. Piper sighed and nodded, "You might want to report Cadet McCoy's disappearance to Captain Pike, then," he replied in a somber tone. "Captain Pike is the commander over all cadets at the Academy…"

"I don't want to do that and make my father think that Leonard fell off the wagon," Arianne replied in a nervous voice as her communicator suddenly buzzed. "Oh, I wonder if this call could be Leonard."

Dr. Piper nodded and was silent as Arianne pulled out her communicator and opened it, "This is Lieutenant Pike," she said in a concerned voice, silently praying that Leonard was safe and well.

"Lieutenant, please report to my office," Captain Pike's voice spoke. "I wish to speak with you."

Swallowing hard, Arianne shut the communicator and silently walked over to the emergency transporter that was just behind the desk. Dr. Piper followed her and watched as she stepped on to the pad.

"I hope Cadet McCoy is all right," Dr. Piper commented as he programmed the transporter properly.

Arianne nodded, "Me too," she replied in a barely audible voice as she sighed. "Energize."

* * *

**_Captain Pike's Office_**

Arianne materialized on the transporter pad in the corner of her father's large office and was both shocked and pleased to see Leonard sitting on the couch with his arms wrapped around himself while her father sat behind his desk looking tired and concerned, "I walked back to campus and was trying to figure out what to do when Captain Pike spotted me," Leonard spoke tonelessly, not looking at Arianne.

"I was out on my usual evening walk when I spotted Cadet McCoy coming on to campus half-frozen and looking as if someone had been shot," Chris explained in a concerned voice. "He wouldn't tell me what happened, so I convinced him to come back to my office, warm up, and talk to me if he wanted to."

Leonard silently nodded and looked down at the floor, "Roger Korby is dating my roommate and he made some rather callous remarks about Leonard's past," Arianne explained in an angry voice, relieved that she had not lost control and decked Roger. "Leonard left and I left shortly after to look for him."

"I will talk to Cadet Korby tomorrow," Chris replied in a tired voice. "In the meantime, Cadet McCoy, why don't you call it a night and I also want to talk to you tomorrow if you're feeling up to it, all right?"

Leonard nodded, but said nothing, "Len, let's go," Arianne said in a gentle voice as she walked over to the couch and gently offered her hand. "I'll walk you back to the dorm and stay until Jim gets back."

"Okay," Leonard replied in an unusually quiet voice, taking Arianne's hand as he stood up and allowed her to lead him over to the office door. "Sorry to bother you so late at night, Captain Pike."

Chris sighed, "It was no bother," he replied reassuringly as Leonard and Arianne silently left the room.

* * *

**_Dormitory - Cochrane Hall – 2300 H_**

"This should help you sleep," Arianne commented as she handed Leonard, who was sitting on his bed in his cadet pajamas, a large cup of steaming liquid. "It's Vulcan spice tea and it will help you sleep."

Swallowing hard, Leonard sniffed the tea and cautiously sipped it, "It's good," he replied softly as he took a few more sips and sighed. "I'm going to see if I can get in to see a counselor starting tomorrow."

Looking thoughtful, Arianne silently sat down on the bed next to Leonard, gently picked up one of his sock-clad feet, and gently massaged it, "Get a good rest and some food into you before you work on the emotional stuff, Len," she said in a gentle voice as Leonard finished off the tea. "Give me the cup."

Leonard sighed sleepily and handed Arianne the empty cup, "You seriously left the party to look for me?" he asked in a tired voice as he took Arianne's free hand. "You could have stayed and had fun."

"Of course I left to look for you," Arianne replied gently as she set Leonard's one foot on the bed and started massaging the other foot. "I was incredibly close to punching Roger after you walked out."

Leonard looked slightly amused at that, but he also yawned, "I'm so beat," he replied in a sleepy voice as he struggled to stay awake. "Thanks for helping me get through another Valentine's Day, Arianne."

"You're welcome," Arianne replied in a soft voice as Leonard closed his eyes and slowly relaxed.

For a moment, Arianne sat there quietly and set Leonard's foot back on the bed. She then stood up and carefully laid Leonard down so he could have a comfortable rest and covered him with a spare blanket that all cadets kept on the edge of their beds in case of emergencies before moving towards the door.

Taking great care not to wake Leonard, Arianne silently left the dorm and as she walked towards the exit doors, she saw Jim and Gaila leaving a tired looking Pavel at his dorm. Gaila waved, but Jim was too busy talking to Pavel to notice her; it was fine with Arianne, however, as she was exhausted from the day.

The night was thankfully clear and quiet, so Arianne found no trouble in walking down the footpath to Boyce Hall and getting back to her dormitory. Christine wasn't back in their dorm yet, so Arianne quietly changed from her reds into her pajamas before grabbing a PADD from the shelf and getting into bed.

As Arianne lay in bed reading until she fell asleep, she thought about how blessed she was and silently hoped that even after she was done the Academy, none of those blessings would suddenly become out of her reach.

* * *

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	39. March 2258: The Gravity of Choices

_**March 2258**_

_**Enterprise Briefing Room – U.S.S Enterprise - Orbital Shipyard – 1100 H**_

Arianne entered the briefing room and saw that her father was sitting at the head of the long table and that Jim, Pavel, Hikaru, Tomlinson, Mitchell, Dr. Puri, and a few other Command cadets were sitting on either side of the table while two chairs remained vacant. She immediately took the seat next to Jim.

"Welcome to the Bridge Training Course, Lieutenant Pike," Chris stated in an official voice, secretly amused by Arianne's confused expression. "I trust you got your private invitation in the mail?"

Arianne nodded, "Yes sir," she replied in an official voice as she looked at Chris. "This morning."

"Excellent," Chris said in a pleasant voice as the door slid open and Spock came into the room holding a stack of styluses under one arm. "Commander Spock, would you please hand out the styluses?"

As Spock handed out the styluses, Chris looked around the table, "All of you are here today because I'm considering you all for Bridge positions on the vessels currently at the shipyard," he explained in a commanding voice. "Some of you are also in other academic tracks and you'll also be considered for positions in those tracks depending on how your interviews go. Now, however, turn to page three."

"Captain, I have other matters to attend to on Earth," Spock spoke up. "May I be dismissed?"

Chris nodded as he tapped his stylus, "Yes, Commander Spock," he replied calmly. "You may go."

Spock offered a nod and silently left the room, "Being a Bridge officer is no easy task, but it comes with a lot of opportunities that other officers on a ship may or may not have during their careers," Chris explained, glancing at the stylus every so often. "This stylus has notes on what one should do in order to do the job properly, but you can't always follow the class notes when you're a Bridge officer."

"Then why make us read the notes, sir?" Jim asked as he raised his hand. "If you said…"

Chris cleared his throat, "The notes give you a base on which to build on, Ensign Kirk," he replied in a firm voice as Jim nodded and went quiet. "Does anyone else have an issue with the notes?"

"Sir, what does 'give all that you can' mean exactly?" Arianne asked in a confused voice.

Chris was quiet for a moment and then sighed, "Giving all that you can is something that a Bridge officer should be prepared to do whether or not they are actually on the Bridge," he explained in a commanding voice as he looked at everyone. "There will be situations in which you may be required to make sacrifices for the benefit of the crew or of a mission and you should never give less than your best to anything you endeavor to do. Even if your best isn't perfect, the effort was made and it was yours."

"Is there a limit to the sacrifice that a Bridge officer could reasonably make for the benefit of others in the crew they serve in, sir?" Tomlinson asked in a confused voice. "Where do we draw the line?"

An awkward silence fell over the Briefing Room and Arianne suddenly stood up, "Captain Pike, may I provide an answer to Cadet Tomlinson's question?" she asked in a firm voice, relieved when Chris nodded. "A Bridge officer may end up sacrificing their life for the benefit of those they serve with, but it may be the only way out of a situation whether or not it's pleasant. Any situation, not just ones within a starship or starbase, may require sacrifice so that others can have a chance at some sort of future."

"That just sounds strange to me," Tomlinson replied softly. "Why would anyone sacrifice for…?"

Chris cleared his throat and Jim quickly stood up, "My father sacrificed his own life so that 800 other lives could continue and Captains make sacrifices every day so that others don't have to," he replied.

"My mother also made a sacrifice so that I could have a good life," Arianne spoke up in a trembling voice, not wanting Jim to feel like he was alone. "From what I've been told, she brought me to San Francisco on New Year's Day 2232 and made sure that I was safe before she passed away."

Pavel and Hikaru looked shocked at hearing that while Tomlinson and Jim looked slightly humbled and Chris almost looked proud. Swallowing hard, Arianne stood up and ignored the fact she was trembling.

"Permission to be dismissed, Captain?" Arianne asked softly, wanting to go back to Earth as quickly as possible and find Spock so she could talk to him about the fact that she had mentioned her mother.

There was quiet murmuring among every cadet but Pavel and Jim as Arianne moved towards the door and crossed her arms, "Granted, Lieutenant Pike," Chris said in a voice that indicated they would have a private chat later that day. "Now, can anyone tell me the different shifts Bridge officers can do?"

As the discussion resumed, Arianne slipped quietly out of the briefing room and went to the turbolift while taking her personal PADD out of her pocket. Once in the turbolift, she quickly typed and sent a message to Spock asking for an emergency counseling session. She then let out a very tired sigh.

* * *

**_Commander Spock's Office – Starfleet Academy – 1200 H_**

The trip to Earth had taken 30 minutes and the trip to Spock's office had taken another 10 minutes, but it had unnerved Arianne enough that she could barely remain upright in Spock's office. She was in tears and shaking over memories that she had of her mother, yet she had never known the woman at all.

"Lieutenant Pike?" Arianne suddenly heard Spock ask as she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Arianne silently moved into the office and sank on to the small couch that was just beside the door and that Spock normally used for meditation, "I was at the Bridge Training Course in the Enterprise Briefing Room about an hour ago and the subject of sacrifice was brought up," she explained as Spock walked over to his desk and sat down. "I mentioned that my mother sacrificed her life to make sure I had one."

"You were granted the memories of your past so they would not define you, but help you to embrace your present and future without fear," Spock replied tonelessly. "I did give you a mental shield to prevent those memories from surfacing once because they were doing more harm than good, but…"

Arianne sighed, "T'Pol unlocked them when she forced a mind meld," she replied in a tired voice.

"Correct," Spock replied tonelessly as he looked at her. "Now you struggle to find a balance…"

Nodding, Arianne rubbed her eyes, "I'm so tired and maybe that's why I'm not thinking rationally," she said in a tired voice. "I thought I came to terms with my past a long time ago, but now I'm remembering how much my father gave up to adopt me and what freedom my mother gave up to save my life…"

"I am not fully aware of the circumstances under which you were adopted by Captain Pike," Spock replied in a toneless voice as he crossed his arms on the desk. "Would you care to explain them?"

Arianne shrugged, "I don't even fully understand all of it myself," she replied softly. "My father…"

"May I obtain the information about your adoption from your father?" Spock asked tonelessly.

Arianne swallowed hard, "I believe you will find that you already have the information from mind melding with me when those memories were first unlocked," she replied nervously, hating that she couldn't stop her tired body from trembling. "I am in no condition for any mind melds today."

"You have worked hard at academics this semester," Spock commented, giving Arianne a thoughtful look. "May I inquire as to how other aspects of your life are developing? Is your focus on academics?"

Arianne nodded and gently fingered the necklace that Leonard gave her that she always wore and kept above the pendant that Sarek had given her long ago, "Leonard told me that he wants us to get married after graduation and gave me a promise necklace," she replied in a calm voice. "I love him and the thought of marriage excites me, but I'm also worried about passing my disabilities on to my children because I'm not sure if I could parent a child with disabilities when I had trouble taking care of myself."

"You would not be alone in caring for any children you and Doctor McCoy would have because he would share in the parental responsibilities," Spock replied tonelessly. "When I was born, my father and mother shared in the responsibilities associated with parenting even though I was somewhat unique."

Knowing that Spock was right, Arianne sighed and yawned, "I guess I don't need to worry about such things now because I'm not even graduated yet," she replied in a gentle voice as she released the necklace and looked at Spock. "My father invited me to join the Bridge Training Course today."

"Indeed," Spock replied tonelessly. "I recommended to him that the course would benefit you."

Arianne smiled, but said nothing, "You have potential to serve on the Bridge of any ship that you choose and it was important that I bring that to the attention of Starfleet Command," Spock explained in a toneless voice as he gave Arianne another thoughtful look. "Your review is in a matter of weeks…"

"I have to begin assessing cadets this afternoon and pass my recommendations on to Starfleet Command," Arianne commented in a tired voice. "I am not looking forward to it because I know so many of the cadets, but the majority of psychologists went to the Laurentian system, so I don't have a choice. I will assess about twenty cadets per day and I have to have all my reports in by April first."

Spock raised an eyebrow, "Do you feel that you are inadequate to perform this task because of what certain people in command positions have said about you?" he asked in a toneless voice. "It is illogical to allow the past to limit what you can do now. You are capable of accurately assessing all of the cadets…"

"Thank you," Arianne replied softly as she pulled out her PADD. "Oh, I got my first list of cadets…"

Spock nodded, "Can I schedule another session for in a couple of weeks?" Arianne asked as she got up from the couch. "Thank you for talking to me, Spock; it helped me to calm down and focus my mind."

"You may contact me when you have time to spare," Spock replied tonelessly. "You are welcome."

Arianne smiled and silently left Spock's office so that Spock could get some of his own work done.

* * *

_**Academy Canteen – 1200 H**_

According to the PADD, the first assessment was scheduled at 1300 with Cadet Marcus, and then she would meet with several other cadets for half an hour each and that would give her time to decide whether or not they needed a second session before she wrote her reports for Command. The thought of making time for all the assessments along with homework, food, and sleep made Arianne cringe.

"Don't tell me that the food's that bad?" an amused voice asked. "Why aren't you eating, anyway?"

Arianne scoffed without looking up from her PADD, "I'm too busy to eat," she replied in a slightly annoyed voice as she continued trying to figure out how she was going to balance everything.

There was a scoff and footsteps followed by several minutes of silence before a tray containing a wrapped sandwich, an apple, and a water bottle was set down in front of her, "If you don't put that away and eat some lunch, I'll put you on medical restriction just because I can," Leonard's voice snipped.

Arianne's eyes widened and she looked up to see Leonard standing there with a scowl on his face and a wrapped sandwich in his pocket and a water bottle in his hand, "Len, don't you have class?" she asked in a confused voice as Leonard sat down beside her and took the sandwich out of his jacket pocket.

"Just got out of class, actually," Leonard replied calmly as he unwrapped his sandwich. "I work at one."

Arianne nodded and silently stared at the sandwich, "Len, I'm not hungry," she replied softly, suddenly feeling that she'd rather be doing anything but eating. "I couldn't eat much this morning either…"

Leonard frowned and immediately placed his hand on her forehead, "You're warm," he said in a concerned voice, suddenly noticing how tired Arianne looked. "How have you been feeling lately?"

"Don't start treating me like a patient, Len," Arianne replied crossly. "I've been taking the progesterone like Doctor Puri said and I've been careful about what I eat and how much exercise I get each day…"

Leonard frowned, "How much have you been taking?" he asked worriedly, wondering if it was too much.

"Doctor Puri doubled it because I've been tired and he thought it was a hormone imbalance," Arianne replied in a distressed voice. "I wasn't sure if that was a good idea, but I don't have an M.D., so I…"

Leonard sighed, "I want you to come see me when you have a few moments to spare since you'll be at Starfleet Medical anyway," he replied in a concerned voice. "You might be taking too much…"

"Len, I've got to go if I'm going to have my office ready by 1330 hours," Arianne said in a tired voice as she stood up, suddenly felt lightheaded, and immediately grabbed the table. "Oh dear, hang on."

Leonard immediately got to his feet, "Just a little lightheadedness," Arianne replied in a strained voice as she straightened up and looked into his concern-filled eyes. "I'm fine and I just need to rest later."

"You need to rest now," Leonard said in a concerned voice as he took her arms. "Come with me."

Arianne could only follow Leonard as he led her out of the canteen, down several footpaths, and into the dormitory that he and Jim shared within Cochrane Hall, "Len, please, I have to do an assessment at one and I've got a lot of other assessments after that," she protested as Leonard took her PADD.

"I'll give you some meds to help with the fever, the lightheadedness, and tiredness, but I also want you to take a little time to rest," Leonard replied calmly as he set the PADD on the bedside table. "Okay?"

Arianne scoffed, but didn't protest as Leonard got some hyposprays out of his medkit and gently injected them into her neck one by one, "You'll feel tired for a bit, but when you wake up, you'll feel better," he said in a gentle voice as he helped her to lie down. "What do you have to do today?"

"Assessments for Starfleet Command," Arianne replied in a tired voice. "Puri asked me to do them…"

Leonard sighed, "I'll see if he can't reschedule the sessions so you can have time for sleep, eating, and to keep doing well in your classes," he replied, knowing that he had his own assessment coming up.

The only reply Arianne offered was a sleepy sigh and Leonard took the opportunity to leave the room.

* * *

"…Arianne, wake up," Arianne heard an anxious voice say. "Doctor Puri's looking for you."

Arianne opened her eyes and was surprised to see a blanket covering her, "Arianne, Captain Pike sent me to get you because Doctor Puri's looking for you," she heard Jim say in an anxious voice. "Get up."

Letting out a tired sigh, Arianne sat up and was surprised to see Jim standing beside the bed, "What time is it?" she asked in a groggy voice. "Leonard dragged me in here, gave me meds, and told me to sleep."

"Bones got hurt about an hour ago because Cadet Marcus went beserk on him," Jim replied in an anxious voice as he sat on the bed. "I guess Cadet Marcus was hanging around Starfleet Medical and overheard Bones telling Doctor Puri that the assessments needed to be scheduled a little better…"

Arianne's eyes widened and she got up off the bed, "How badly hurt is Leonard?" she asked softly.

"Not bad, but Cadet Marcus had to be sedated and restrained," Jim explained worriedly.

Arianne cringed as she picked up her PADD and moved towards the door; she knew that something else had to be wrong besides having bipolar disorder because the meds should have controlled that.

"Jim, come with me," Arianne replied in an anxious voice. "Leonard will want to see you too."

Jim shrugged, "I cut class to come get you, so okay," he replied worriedly. "There was a lot of blood."

"I don't want to hear that, Jim," Arianne replied anxiously. "It doesn't help me feel any better."

Jim murmured a quiet apology and kept silent as he followed Arianne from the quiet dorm room.

* * *

**_Starfleet Medical – 1600 H_**

"…I can't believe it's already four o clock," Arianne said in an anxious voice as she and Jim entered the foyer of Starfleet Medical and saw Captain Pike, Admiral Archer, and Admiral Barnett standing there.

Upon seeing Arianne, Admiral Archer scowled, "I just spent an hour on the video phone with Admiral Marcus trying to explain why his son went berserk after having a previously scheduled assessment cancelled," he snipped in an angry voice. "I want to know why you cancelled that appointment."

"I wasn't feeling well and Doctor McCoy ordered me to rest and was nice enough to let me rest in his dorm while he came to talk to Doctor Puri about rescheduling the assessments," Arianne replied, giving Admiral Archer a look that dared him to mess with her. "Now, how badly was Doctor McCoy hurt?"

Admiral Archer scoffed and walked off in a huff, "He's in the patient bay with Doctor Puri," Admiral Barnett explained in a neutral tone. "I do apologize for the poor way in which the assessments were scheduled, Lieutenant Pike. Captain Pike and I will work with Doctor Puri to fix that immediately…"

"I'd like to see Doctor McCoy now, if you don't mind," Arianne replied softly. "Please."

Captain Pike nodded and gestured to the patient bay window. Arianne sighed, silently walked over to the window, and was horrified to see Leonard sitting upright on a biobed with bruises and several bandaged cuts on his face. Dr. Puri was standing next to the biobed holding a medical tricorder.

"Cadet Marcus is being held in the Mental Health Unit for the time being," Arianne heard her father say in a somber voice as Jim approached the window. "I'd like to talk to you about that, Arianne."

Arianne nodded, "Jim, stay with Len and behave yourself," she whispered as she turned away.

"I want to talk to Admiral Marcus before I offer any recommendations," Arianne said in a formal tone as she walked back over to her father and Admiral Barnett. "I do have the right to speak to him."

Admiral Barnett nodded, "I won't do anything about Cadet Marcus's academic status until after I have your recommendation, Lieutenant Pike," he replied calmly. "I trust you will keep me informed?"

"Yes, sir, I will," Arianne replied, knowing that confidentiality was useless in this situation.

Admiral Barnett nodded and Arianne walked off to her office to make the phone call to Admiral Marcus in private. She quickly locked the door once inside her office so that she wouldn't be interrupted.

As Arianne sat at her desk, however, her computer suddenly beeped, "Incoming call for Lieutenant Pike coming in from an Admiral Marcus of Alpha Centauri," an automated voice spoke. "Do you accept the call?"

Arianne sighed and tapped the button, surprised when Admiral Marcus's face appeared on the screen before her, "Lieutenant Pike, I heard what happened and I'm afraid that I haven't been entirely honest with you about Anthony," Admiral Marcus stated in a somber voice. "You see, Anthony was adopted."

"I see," Arianne replied calmly as she crossed her arms. "Where exactly was he adopted from, sir?"

Admiral Marcus swallowed hard, "I don't exactly know where Anthony came from, but he was found in the company of Andrei Chekov's little bootleg crew and he was going to be used for experimentation by those animals," he explained in a somber voice. "I think Anthony came from the same place as that Khan fellow did, but I didn't think it was fair or reasonable to use an innocent child as a lab experiment."

"Is that why you moved to Alpha Centauri so suddenly?" Arianne asked softly, remembering that her father had told her that Admiral Marcus had once been on campus but had moved away suddenly.

Admiral Marcus looked almost amused, "My record says that I moved to help promote Starfleet outside of the solar system, but that is not true," he replied gently. "I moved to protect my family from fallout."

"Anthony is currently sedated and restrained in the Mental Health Unit and they'll most likely want to run medical tests on him," Arianne explained in a concerned voice. "I'm assuming you don't want that."

Admiral Marcus shook his head, "I would be grateful for any assistance you could offer my family and I in this situation," he said in a pleading voice. "I understand that my lie gave you a false impression, but I'm asking you to forgive that and please help my family. My wife would be heartbroken if Starfleet decided to take Anthony away because he was like Khan. He's a good kid, really, but he's just different…"

"Maybe a transfer to another place under the guise of establishing a Starfleet presence would be best," Arianne replied calmly. "Perhaps Anthony would benefit from undergoing training to participate in the Deneva project whenever that is put into play by Starfleet. I just don't know where the training is…"

Admiral Marcus cleared his throat, "Starfleet gave control of the project over to Doctor Sam Kirk who lives in Georgia," he explained in a calmer voice. "Anthony's a Science cadet so it should be easy…"

"I'll make that recommendation in my report, but I don't have the final say," Arianne replied softly.

Admiral Marcus nodded, "I understand," he replied. "I am grateful for your assistance. Marcus out."

As the screen went black, Arianne turned her attention to her computer and silently wrote out a report that recommended that Cadet Marcus be sent to Georgia and trained to participate and add a more official Starfleet presence to the Deneva project. She silently hoped that it would be enough to help.

Once the report was done, Arianne sent it off to Starfleet Command, got up from her desk, walked over to the counseling couch in the corner of her office, laid down on it, and immediately closed her eyes.

* * *

What seemed like hours later, the door chime woke Arianne and a quick look at the chronometer on her desk told her that it was nearly 1800 H, "Come in," she called out in a tired voice as she sat up straight.

The door slid open and Admiral Archer came into the office holding a PADD, "I read the report you submitted to Starfleet Command and I have to say that your recommendation is unusual, if not suspicious," he said in a commanding voice as he strode over to the desk. "A mentally ill cadet attacked your boyfriend for no reason and you don't recommend expulsion and further assessment; instead, you recommend that the cadet in question be sent to serve as a Starfleet presence for the Deneva project."

"I don't believe the reasoning behind my recommendation is any of your business, sir," Arianne replied in an unimpressed voice as she stood up. "As a qualified psychologist, I made a recommendation and now it's up to Starfleet to decide whether or not they want to follow my recommendation, sir."

Admiral Archer scowled and blocked Arianne from leaving, "Maybe I should just not bother letting you and that insufferable boyfriend of yours graduate because of all the stress and crap you two have put me through since you came to the Academy," he snapped, throwing the PADD on her desk. "Since I'm going to be President of the United Federation of Planets in a few months, I can veto anything that Starfleet Command implements if I have a valid reason. Breaching ethical codes is a good reason."

"How dare you!" Arianne yelled in an angry voice. "Accusing me of breaking ethical codes just to get me to be your lap dog is no way to run Starfleet, Admiral! There is no honor in breaking ethics and there is no honor in breaking confidentiality in order to satisfy curiosity either! Now, I want you out!"

Admiral Archer's eyes widened, "Excuse me, Lieutenant?" he asked softly. "What did you say?"

"I want you to get out of my office right now," Arianne replied angrily. "Do you understand?"

Admiral Archer nodded, but scoffed, "This won't be your office forever, Lieutenant," he replied grouchily, giving Arianne an angry look before he stormed out of the counseling office.

Silently swearing under her breath, Arianne put her head on her desk and silently groaned when she heard footsteps and a knock, "What's got Archer all mad?" Jim's voice suddenly asked. "Arianne?"

"Jim, please," Arianne murmured in a distressed voice. "I've got a headache; what do you want?"

Jim sighed, "Bones is ready to leave, but Puri won't let him go unless he has adult supervision," he explained as Arianne lifted her head. "I offered to babysit Bones, but Puri said I'm not mature…"

"I'm coming," Arianne replied in a toneless voice as she stood up. "I just need a break."

Jim nodded and silently followed alongside Arianne as they left the office and walked down the hallway back towards the patient bay, "…I do NOT need a wheelchair!" they could hear Leonard snapping.

"…You'll sit in that chair til you're discharged or I'll keep you overnight," Dr. Puri's voice carried down the hallway. "You got knocked over when that cadet attacked you, so sit there and don't whine."

Arianne and Jim came into the foyer and saw that Dr. Puri and Captain Pike were standing beside a wheelchair where a grouchy looking Leonard was sitting in his cadet reds with a small bag on his lap that Arianne assumed contained pain medication, "Now that Lieutenant Pike is here, Doctor McCoy, you're free to go," Dr. Puri said in a commanding voice. "You're off clinic duty for two days, McCoy."

"Yeah, okay," Leonard mumbled as he slowly got up. "Have you come to take me away, Lieutenant?"

Arianne nodded, "Yes," she replied softly, suddenly wanting nothing more than to be with Leonard.

Leonard sighed and went quiet, allowing Jim and Arianne to lead him out of Starfleet Medical without so much as a peep. Dr. Puri narrowed his eyes at the flirting he had seen, but Chris looked amused. Arianne was obviously a good influence on the likes of Leonard McCoy.

* * *

**_Dormitory – Cochrane Hall – 2100 H_**

"…I can't seem to stop shivering," Arianne heard Leonard mumble in an anxious voice even though the pain medication was supposed to have put him to sleep. "…this ice planet is so cold…"

Frowning, Arianne looked up from the chair that she was sitting in, doing her homework while Leonard was supposed to be resting. He was sweating and shivering uncontrollably even though he was in his cadet pajamas and under a warm blanket, "I'll do anything as long as you don't hurt her," he mumbled.

"Len, wake up," Arianne said in an anxious voice as she stood and walked over to the bed. "Len."

The mumbling stopped, but Leonard didn't quit shaking and Arianne wished that Jim was there because he knew how to snap Leonard out of any problems he might have. Jim, however, had helped them get back to the dorm and then had gone out to have an evening alone with Gaila, whom he was now dating.

Worried that Leonard was going to become ill, Arianne set her PADD on the bedside table and, discarding her boots, she silently got into the bed, but remained upright. She gently pulled the shivering Leonard against her and began to gently stroke his hair and face. Gradually, Leonard stopped shivering.

"Arianne," Leonard mumbled sleepily even though he didn't wake. "That feels nice."

Arianne sighed and continued to sit there until Leonard suddenly woke, "Arianne?" he asked softly.

"Yes?" Arianne asked softly as Leonard sat up in bed and stared at her. "You were having a nightmare."

Leonard nodded, "When I was little and had nightmares, my mama would climb into bed with me and stay until I calmed down," he explained in a tired voice. "What you did really helped me; thank you."

Arianne nodded and silently held out two fingers to Leonard, "This is a Vulcan touch that symbolizes love and I have found that simple touch seems to be a good therapy for some, especially you," she explained in a gentle voice as she extended her fingers. "See if this simple touch helps you."

Even though Leonard didn't understand what Arianne was getting at with offering him a strange Vulcan ritual, he held his hand up in the same way and felt immediate peace when he touched her fingers.

"Your ability to calm me down is one of the many reasons I love you so much," Leonard said in a gentle voice as he took her hand in his own and kissed it tenderly. "However, I think you also need your rest."

Arianne sighed and silently got out of the bed, "I've had quite a few power naps today," she replied in a gentle voice as she walked over to the replicator. "Are you feeling up to having a light dinner, Leonard?"

"Only if you share it with me," Leonard replied groggily as he got out of bed. "I think I need a shower."

Arianne chuckled, "Go ahead," she replied as she pressed some buttons on the replicator. "I'll be here."

Leonard nodded and disappeared into the bathroom. A few minutes later, Arianne heard water running and she turned her attention to programming a light, but filling dinner for both of them to share.

Several minutes later, Leonard came out of the bathroom in his pajamas with his wet hair neatly combed and styled. He was shocked to see Arianne sitting at the work table with a bowl of stew, glass of juice, a napkin, and cutlery in front of her. The same things were on his side of the table and there was a small basket in the middle of the table containing biscuits and a small cup of butter sat beside the bowl.

"Wow," Leonard commented as he walked over to the work table and sat down. "This is amazing."

Arianne smiled and picked up her spoon, "It'll be even more amazing if you stop talking and dig in while everything's still warm," she replied as she ate some of the stew. "You need to be warmed up."

"Yeah," Leonard replied gently as he helped himself to some stew. "Did you check your messages? A counselor like you must have a thousand messages to check..."

Arianne shrugged and looked at the PADD on the table beside her, seeing that she had new messages from both her father and Dr. Puri. She quickly checked the messages and Dr. Puri's was a new, more relaxed and evenly spaced out schedule of cadets who needed assessments starting tomorrow while her father's was a simple commendation.

In her eyes, the messages could go without replies until morning and all she wanted to do was spend a quiet, romantic evening with her first and only true love.

The dinner was quiet, yet the deep feeling of love in the room was one that could not be easily ignored. Neither Leonard nor Arianne knew that that night's simple, but sweet romantic moments would soon lead to things that would change both of them forever.

* * *

_**Please read and review. The next chapter starts parallel to Star Trek 2009!**_


	40. April 2258: A Miracle Among Trouble

**_April 2258_**

_This is yours. I am trusting that you will know what to do with it when you see it._

_Use it wisely. If I am to fail, which is not likely, then it will be up to you to avenge me._

_Nero._

The small container that was filled with red substance sat in front of the small table that Serij had in the small dwelling within the Mimas Station where he now lived. The package and the carefully written note had arrived quite suddenly out of thin air and Serij had immediately placed it on his table while silently deciding what to do with it.

_Ayel and I struck with the Narada last night. _Serij suddenly heard in his mind. _You are not ready._

Serij bowed his head and immediately sank into a meditative position so that he could listen to what instruction Nero had for him. _The red matter, if used wisely, will allow you to jump into the future and then come back to the past with the people who will help you to conquer it. You must go to 2380._

_How will I get there, Nero?_ Serij found himself silently asking. _I do not have a proper ship._

_You will find it en route to where you can jump through time with ease. _Nero replied in a calming voice.

Serij nodded as Nero showed him images of a Gateway that could be used to travel through space and time; one that would enable him to go to the future, commandeer a ship, and gather a crew and earn their loyalty through mind control technology. _It will be done swiftly, Nero. I will not fail you._

Serij suddenly felt Nero's presence leave his mind and he let out a sigh of contentment as the door chime sounded, "Come in," he said in as toneless a voice as he could manage at the moment.

The door slid open and a younger looking Vulcan wearing a bluish-gray pantsuit came into the room and froze at seeing Serij in meditation position, "My apologies, Serij, I have interrupted your meditation," Dr. T'Pan said in a toneless voice, frowning as Serij suddenly winced while slowly standing up. "Serij?"

"I was deep in meditation and disengaging from the meditative position is still difficult given the seriousness of the injuries I sustained several months ago," Serij explained tonelessly as he looked at Dr. T'Pan. "If you or Doctor Sonak wish to speak with me, I am certainly well enough to do so."

Dr. T'Pan offered a nod and Serij suddenly frowned and touched his head, "I must speak with you and Doctor Sonak immediately," Serij said in a toneless voice. "There is something I must go do very soon."

* * *

**_Academy Library – Starfleet Academy – San Francisco, California – 0900 H_**

"Are you nervous for today?" Arianne asked in an irritated voice as she and Jim lounged in chairs within a study pod, making it look as if they were studying for finals. "This is the third time you've taken it."

Jim shrugged and frowned as Arianne sighed, placed a hand on her forehead, and closed her eyes while leaning back in her chair, "Is that flu you got last week still bugging you?" he asked in a worried voice.

"I'm not so sure it's the flu, but I can't be sure that it's not," Arianne replied in a distressed voice.

Jim nodded, but the worried expression didn't leave his face, "What time do you take your exam?" Arianne asked in a shaky voice as she opened her eyes. "I know you want me to be there, but…"

"1100 hours, why?" Jim asked in a concerned voice as Arianne got to her feet. "Where are you going?"

Arianne sighed, "I need to get changed into civvies and go to a civilian drugstore where nobody knows me," she replied in a tight voice, knowing that there would be trouble if her suspicions were right.

"Why do you need to go to a drugstore when you can get whatever medical crap you need at Starfleet Medical?" Jim asked in a quiet, concerned voice as they left the study pod. "I'll walk you over there."

Tears filled Arianne's eyes, but she kept quiet until they were outside, "Nobody at Starfleet Medical can know about this, Jim," she said in an anxious voice. "I think I know what's wrong, but I have to hide it."

"Why are you so freaked out?" Jim asked worriedly, having never seen Arianne so anxious before.

Arianne swallowed hard, "You know that night that Leonard got attacked by Cadet Marcus?" she asked in a soft, anxious voice as they walked off towards the bus stop. "Leonard and I became intimate…"

Jim's eyes widened as they reached the bus stop, "I think I might be pregnant, but I am not sure," Arianne whispered, deeply relieved that the bus was approaching. "I need to go buy a test…"

"I'm coming with you," Jim replied softly, taking her hand in his own. "You don't have to go through this alone."

Letting out an anxious sigh, Arianne remained silent as she let Jim help her on to the parked hoverbus.

* * *

_**Dormitory – Boyce Hall – 0900 H**_

A beeping sound suddenly went off, indicating that the time had passed and Arianne silently went into the small bathroom to check the test. She was grateful that Christine wasn't here because then Leonard would find out what was going on. Jim, however, could be trusted to keep even the deepest secrets.

Swallowing hard, Arianne gazed at the test and her eyes widened in astonishment; it was positive.

"Jim," Arianne whispered in a shocked voice as she picked the test up and stared at it. "Oh, Jim."

Suddenly, Arianne felt a pair of hands wrap around her, "I didn't think it would ever happen," she said, knowing that Jim was the one hugging her reassuringly. "I'm happy, but I'm also very scared about this."

"You've got at least one person's support," Jim whispered reassuringly. "Are you gonna tell Bones?"

Arianne sighed, "I don't want to take attention away from your Kobyashi Maru exam," she replied as she turned to face Jim and slipped the test into her pocket. "Let's just get through that and then I'll take Leonard aside and tell him in private. I'm sure that we'll have to decide whether to get married."

"I did some special studying last night with Gaila," Jim replied calmly. "I'm not worried at all."

Even though Arianne felt uneasy about what Jim meant by 'special studying', she nodded and sighed, "I guess I need to eat something and look like I'm all right until I have a chance to talk to Leonard," she said in a nervous voice as she crossed her arms. "Jim, you have to promise me that you'll keep this secret."

"Of course," Jim replied in an uneasy voice as he nodded. "You gotta tell Bones soon, though."

Arianne nodded and cringed as she knelt down in front of the toiler, "I will," she said in an anxious voice as she leaned over the bowl. "For now, hold my hair back and make sure Christine doesn't come in."

As Arianne began to puke, Jim silently held her hair back and kept a watch out for Christine's arrival. He also silently hoped that both Arianne and Bones would forgive him after the exam was completed.

* * *

**_Bridge Simulation Room – 1100_**

From the Helm station, Arianne heard Nyota give Jim the rundown of the situation in a highly sarcastic tone that was full of amusement. Jim had assigned Nyota to Communications and Arianne to Helm because Arianne had made her promise to treat her normally to avert suspicion. Leonard was at Navigation and Tactical and she could see him rolling his eyes about how little Jim seemed to care.

It would be like the first two times, Arianne silently mused; Jim would fail and then want to go off to a civilian bar or the Academy canteen and ingest as much alcohol as he could without killing himself. Even though she was pregnant, Arianne would most likely go with Jim to keep him from acting too irresponsibly and it would also give her a chance to figure out how to break the news to Leonard.

Suddenly, the entire room was engulfed in darkness for several seconds and Arianne frowned as she remembered what Jim had said about studying with Gaila. Gaila, as everyone knew, assisted with the programming of the Kobyashi Maru exams and making sure they ran smoothly. What had Jim done?

The lights quickly returned, "Prepare to fire," Arianne heard Jim say in a casual voice.

Leonard protested that the shields were up and it was only after Jim questioned his comment that Arianne realized that Jim had done something to the simulation to make it winnable, "…Begin rescue of the stranded crew," she suddenly heard him say several minutes later as he bit into an apple.

_Jim, I promised that I'd always be your friend and I will. _Arianne silently thought as she sat there and waited for the proctor to summon them to the standard after mission chat. She wasn't sure, however, how the rest of Starfleet and Academy would react to Jim's successful attempt at beating the exam.

What the cadets didn't know, however, that Captain Pike and Admiral Archer were on the observation deck talking with Spock while Dr. Puri worked to revive an unconscious Gaila, "…The simulation was clearly tampered with," Spock spoke in a toneless voice as he gazed at the computer screen.

"Do you think Cadet Kirk had help in doing this?" Admiral Archer asked in a voice that was full of both shock and anger at Jim's irresponsible actions. "He and Lieutenant Pike are very close friends."

Captain Pike's eyes widened in shock and anger, "Are you insinuating, Admiral Archer, that I would encourage my daughter to participate in cheating on a standard examination after I have spent many years teaching her how to be an upstanding individual?" he asked, giving Admiral Archer a glare.

"Come on, Chris," Admiral Archer snapped. "Arianne's got disabilities and was probably looking to…"

Spock looked up from the screen and cleared his throat, "Admiral Archer, your accusation against Lieutenant Pike is illogical," he said in a toneless voice. "I do not believe Lieutenant Pike would participate in modifying the Kobyashi Maru to make it winnable. Cadet Kirk acted completely alone."

Chris was silent for several minutes and then nodded, "I will inform Admiral Barnett of what has happened and recommend that a hearing take place this afternoon to deal with the situation," he said in a subdued voice, extremely disappointed that Jim would resort to cheating just to succeed at the exam.

"All cadets are dismissed and a briefing will take place at a later time," Admiral Archer said as he touched the small button that activated the intercom. "Watch your email accounts for an update."

Chris gazed down at Dr. Puri, who was tending to Gaila, "Will Cadet Gaila be all right?" he asked softly.

"She's got minor shock from whatever Kirk did to the computer, but she'll be fine by the hearing if you need her to testify," Dr. Puri replied calmly as he administered a hypospray to Gaila. "All right?"

Chris nodded and silently gazed out the window just in time to see Jim approach Arianne and talk to her for a moment before helping her up from her seat, "Unfortunately, Doctor Puri, the hearing will be short and not so sweet," he replied somberly, silently wondering how he could keep Arianne away from harm.

* * *

**_Academy Canteen – 1200 H_**

"How's your stomach?" Jim asked in a quiet voice as he sat down at the table across from Arianne, silently watching as she slowly sipped a cup of caffeine free lemon tea that she had replicated.

Arianne sighed, "I might be able to eat lunch after finishing this," she replied softly. "Jim, sit down."

Jim nodded and immediately sat down, "Jim, how have you been feeling lately?" Arianne asked in a gentle voice as she gave him a look of compassion. "You were unusually calm during the exam."

"I feel like another person's sitting inside me and making sure I'm calm and confident at all times," Jim explained in an anxious voice. "I felt like I could make the scenario winnable and I decided to try."

Arianne nodded, "Jim, I don't think anyone is going to be too pleased that you modified the scenario to make it winnable," she replied in a tired voice. "Anyway, it's over and done with now, so no sense in…"

"Have you talked to Bones yet?" Jim asked in a concerned voice. "You should tell him your news."

Arianne shook her head, "Leonard was dragged off to Starfleet Medical by Doctor Puri before I got a chance to approach him," she replied in a tired voice as she finished the tea. "Okay, the tea's down."

"What do you want to eat?" Jim asked in a gentle voice, frowning as Captain Pike came into the room with a stylus under one arm and a bag in the other hand. "Captain Pike, sir, how are you doing?"

Even though Chris wanted to scream at Cadet Kirk, he remained calm, "I am well, Cadet Kirk," he replied in a calm voice as he walked over to the table. "I have an assignment for Lieutenant Pike, actually."

"An assignment, sir?" Arianne asked softly as she stood up. "What would you like me to do?"

Chris was silent for a moment, "Walk with me," he said, not wanting to speak in front of Jim.

Arianne nodded and silently followed her father out of the canteen, "I need you to go up to the Enterprise with Cadet Chekov and make sure everything's in good working order for the commissioning in a few weeks," Chris said as he handed her the stylus and the bag. "I'm sure everything is in order, but I just want to be sure and you have to understand that I don't trust everyone to do such a job…"

"What about Commander Spock?" Arianne interrupted in a soft voice. "He has more experience…"

Chris sighed, "Arianne, your friendship with Cadet Kirk caused Admiral Archer to suspect that you helped in the reprogramming of the Kobyashi Maru and both Spock and I said you did not," he explained in an anxious voice. "However, I want to keep you out of harm's way at the same time, so I want you and Chekov to go up to the Enterprise and stay there til you hear from me. Chekov knows about the trial…"

"Trial?" Arianne asked in a quiet, but very frightened voice. "Is Jim going to be expelled for this?"

Chris swallowed hard, "I can't tell you what I don't know," he replied softly. "Pavel's at the hangar bay."

"Your orders will be followed, sir," Arianne replied calmly before she turned and walked off alone.

* * *

**_Bridge – U.S.S. Enterprise – 1500 H_**

The silence was both comforting and unnerving for Arianne as she walked around the Bridge, occasionally checking a console to ensure that things were running properly. The first thing she had done when she and Pavel had gotten on board was drag him to the Mess Hall for a light lunch using the excuse that they couldn't work well on empty stomachs. Fortunately, Pavel had accepted that excuse.

Now, while Arianne found herself looking over the Bridge systems with the excuse that she was higher in rank, Pavel was checking the other areas of the ship. Truth be told, Arianne knew that a simple walk around the Bridge would be better for herself and for the baby then running around the ship would be.

It didn't take Arianne long to figure out why Pavel was with her and not at the hearing; Admiral Archer clearly had it out for Pavel and would do whatever he could to connect Pavel to Kirk's actions. However, Arianne reasoned that Pavel was nice company and that's all she could hope for at the moment.

"Lieutenant Pike, this is Captain Pike," a voice suddenly said from the Communications console.

Frowning, Arianne hurried over to the Communications console and picked up the receiver as she sat down, "This is Lieutenant Pike, Captain Pike," she said in a calm voice. "Starfleet Command received an emergency transmission from Vulcan and all cadets and available officers are being dispatched to the Enterprise, Farragut, Antares, Armstrong, Hood, Mayflower, Newtown, Odyssey, Truman, and Wolcott."

"An emergency transmission from Vulcan, sir?" Arianne repeated, suddenly thinking of Sarek and Amanda as she stood up with the receiver still in hand. "Did they elaborate on what's going on?"

There was static and the door suddenly opened, "I vas ordered to report to ze Nawigation station," Pavel explained in an anxious voice as Lieutenant Hawkins, Hikaru, Chief Engineer Olson, Dr. Puri, and a few other officers that Arianne didn't know well streamed on to the Bridge in various color of uniforms.

A moment later, Captain Pike strode on to the Bridge clad in a gold Starfleet shirt and black uniform with a stern, but somber expression on his face, "Lieutenant Pike, report," he said, gazing at Arianne.

Nodding, Arianne moved away from the Communications station so that Hawkins could take over without fuss, "Everything checks out, sir," she replied in a formal tone. "Where should I go?"

"Please remain on the Bridge, Lieutenant," Captain Pike replied. "Why don't you man Ops for now?"

Arianne nodded, "Yes sir," she replied obediently as she walked over to the Ops station and sat down.

The next several minutes were a blur as Arianne silently watched and listened to her father organize the Bridge crew to the point that they were ready to go. Spock offered her a silent nod and look of approval when he arrived and Hikaru almost jumped out of his skin when her father asked him what he was doing there and if he was actually a pilot. Of course, Spock stepped in and offered an accurate correction.

As Arianne turned back to her station, she caught Hikaru scowling and muttering curse words under his breath. Pavel was trembling anxiously as he made the call that would explain what their mission was and then, as soon as he was off the conn, he relaxed considerably. Arianne focused on making sure that all power was allocated and everything was running as it should for what seemed like a long time.

Suddenly, shouting filled the Bridge and Arianne turned just in time to see Leonard, Jim, and Nyota come on to the Bridge in a frenzy. The only words that Arianne could understand were that the Enterprise was being lured into a trap that was obviously waiting for them in Vulcan's orbit.

To Arianne's shock, Hawkins was quickly dismissed from the Bridge and Nyota took his place, "Hi," Arianne whispered as Nyota sat down at the Communications station. "How was the hearing?"

"Obviously not important now," Nyota whispered in an anxious voice. "Kirk's here and helping…"

Arianne sighed, "I can't find any transmissions," Nyota said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I wish I knew if Sarek and Amanda were all right," Arianne said in a quiet voice as she heard her father give the order to come out of warp. "I am seen like a daughter to Sarek and Amanda and I worry…"

Nyota nodded, "I met Spock's parents once," she replied in a hush voice as her eyes suddenly widened.

"What?" Arianne said in an anxious voice as she turned to look where Nyota was looking and gasped.

The viewscreen had been activated and space was filled with the wreckage of the ships that had left the orbital shipyard just moments before the Enterprise. A large, satanic looking vessel was in the orbit of Vulcan and there was a strange metallic object shooting some sort of beam into the quiet planet.

A moment later, the Bridge rocked violently and Arianne immediately braced herself against the chair so that she wouldn't fall into the console. Again, the Bridge rocked and Arianne quickly realized that the Ops station was overloading because of the hits and quickly got out of harm's way in the nick of time.

"Are you okay?" Jim whispered as he came over to Arianne and put an arm around her. "Is the…?"

Arianne nodded and felt terror shoot through her as the viewscreen suddenly activated and a heavily tattooed Romulan appeared on the screen that, in her opinion, was uglier than Jeris. The feeling of terror worsened as the Romulan introduced himself as Nero and demanded that her father come to the demonic vessel alone in a shuttle craft, "Captain, I must protest," she said anxiously, standing up.

Captain Pike was silent and motioned for Arianne to come over to the Bridge door along with Spock, Sulu, and Kirk, "I need you to take the center chair for a few minutes, Lieutenant Pike," Arianne heard her father say in a commanding, yet somber tone. "I need to talk to Kirk, Spock, Olson, and Sulu for a few minutes, but when Spock comes back to the Bridge, turn command back over to him, all right?"

"What about you?" Arianne asked in a nervous voice. "You're not coming back are you, Captain?"

Captain Pike sighed and gently placed his hands on Arianne's shoulders, "I'm not sure," he replied calmly, knowing full well that Nero might torture him to death. "I love you and always do your best."

"I love you too," Arianne whispered as Captain Pike released her and left the Bridge with Jim, Spock, and Hikaru in tow. She sighed and silently walked over to the command chair, swallowing hard as she sat.

The Bridge fell silent, "He's gonna be okay," Leonard whispered in a reassuring voice as he walked over to the command chair to be close to Arianne in case she needed a hug. "Your dad's a tough guy."

"Captain Pike's been trained in how to deal with situations such as these, Doctor McCoy," Arianne replied in a professional tone, understanding that she couldn't suddenly get personal in situations like this even if nobody else understood that. "Lieutenant Uhura, notify me when we have communication and transporter capabilities again unless Spock has returned, then tell him. I want damage reports."

There was a heavy silence and as several officers began to check for and report damage that the demonic Romulan vessel had caused, Leonard silently moved away so that Arianne could work.

* * *

**_Bridge - 1600 H_**

Spock had returned to the Bridge after seeing the away team off and had fled back to the transporter room when Pavel had told him that there were only mere minutes until Vulcan would implode because a black hole that had been created by the beam shot into the planet. Arianne had wanted to go and help rescue Sarek and Amanda, but Spock had given her the command chair and told her to be careful.

Pavel, of course, was still in the transporter room after running there and using extraordinary talents to beam Jim and Hikaru aboard from the Vulcan sky. The away mission had apparently been successful, as the Enterprise's communication and transporter abilities were back online. Jim and Hikaru had apparently been hurt during the mission, however, and Dr. Puri was taking care of them in the Mess Hall since the Sickbay had been apparently damaged when the demonic vessel had fired on them. Intraship communications had been limited, however, so Arianne didn't know the full extent of the damage.

Arianne, however, was not one for sitting idly even if she was pregnant, "Chekov, I am going to the transporter room to await the arrival of Spock and the Vulcan Elders," she said in a determined voice, figuring that Leonard and Jim would come back once Dr. Puri released them. "Uhura, comm Doctor Puri and tell him that he'd better have a med team report to the transporter room in case the Vulcans…"

Nyota nodded and quickly sent a message, frowning when she immediately got one back, "Doctor McCoy is in the Mess Hall and reports that Doctor Puri was killed when the Romulan vessel fired upon us," she reported in a horrified voice as she looked at Arianne. "I am also getting a report from the transporter room that Captain Spock and the Vulcan Elders are preparing to beam aboard…"

Still reeling from the fact that Dr. Puri was dead, Arianne got up and bolted from the Bridge and didn't stop until she reached the Transporter Room. Pavel was working at the console with a distressed expression on his face and he suddenly gasped, "I'M LOSING HER!" he screamed in an anxious voice.

Suddenly, Sarek and the Vulcan Elders materialized on the transporter pad and Arianne found it strange that Spock was reaching out as if trying to grab something, "Spock, where's Amanda?" she asked as she walked over to the pad and noticed that Amanda wasn't with the others. "Why isn't she here with you?"

A heavy silence filled the Transporter Room as Sarek exchanged looks with the other Vulcan Elders and then sent a piercing look at Pavel that resembled a glare, "My mother has become one with the planet," Spock stated tonelessly as Arianne's eyes widened in horror. "Please assist the Vulcan elders to find places where they may either meditate or be of help to one another. I must return to the Bridge."

"Of course, Captain," Arianne replied in a toneless voice, still reeling from the news that the closest thing she had ever had to a mother was now dead and her father was obviously a prisoner of Nero. On top of all that, Vulcan was no longer a planet, but an empty space where the blood of millions had been mercilessly shed with one act.

Spock offered a nod and silently left the Transporter room, unaware that Pavel had also left because he wasn't able to bear the intense looks he was getting from the Vulcan Elders. Likewise, Arianne was focused on trying to figure out where on the ship she could take Sarek and the other Vulcan Elders. Even though she was human, Arianne had spent enough time among Vulcans to know how she could best help them deal with their momentous losses.

* * *

_**Please read and review!**_


	41. April 2258 II: The Future Is Today

"Lieutenant Arianne Pike. Personal Log. Supplemental," Arianne said in a tired voice, holding her personal PADD close to her mouth as she sat on a chair within her father's quarters, deeply exhausted after helping Sarek and the Vulcan Elders find a place in the badly damaged Enterprise where they could meditate and help one another in peace. "The loss of the only mother figure I have ever known has shaken me to the core, but I cannot dwell on that now nor can I dwell on the secret I keep quietly…"

The door chime suddenly went off and Arianne sighed, "Pause and save," she replied in a gentle voice before stashing the PADD in her pocket in case Leonard was at the door. "Who's out there?"

"Nyota," a female voice replied in an anxious tone. "Arianne, can I come in? We need to talk."

Arianne sighed and stood up, "Sure," she replied in a gentle voice. "Please come in, Nyota."

The door slid open and Nyota entered the room with a distressed look on her face, "There was a fight on the Bridge between Kirk and Spock and Kirk was sent away," she explained in a distressed voice. "I tried to talk to Spock about it, but he said that Kirk was more of a danger if he were to remain on board…"

Arianne's eyes widened in both surprise and fury, "Spock sent Kirk off the ship?" she asked. "Where?"

"Spock ordered some Security officers to lock Kirk in an escape pod and the pod was jettisoned to Delta Vega when we passed it half an hour ago," Nyota replied anxiously. "Something's wrong with Spock…"

Swallowing hard to keep her anger at Spock reigned in, Arianne nodded, "Where is Spock now?" she asked in a tone that told Nyota that she would handle it. "I feel a discussion with him is in order."

"Spock's on the Bridge," Nyota replied in a concerned voice. "Arianne, why are you in your father's quarters right now? I thought Spock had ordered you to help the Vulcan Elders settle in?"

Arianne sighed, "The Vulcan Elders are in the rec room either meditating privately or helping each other deal with emotional distress," she replied softly. "Ambassador Sarek is overseeing that and I felt it would be best to stay out of the way for the time being. Spock is very experienced and doesn't need me…"

"Please, Arianne, I would like it very much if you could help Spock," Nyota said softly. "Please."

For a moment, Arianne was silent and then nodded, "I'll come to the Bridge soon," she replied softly.

"Thank you," Nyota replied in a relieved voice. "I'll meet you at the Bridge in a few minutes."

Arianne nodded as Nyota left the room and then she walked over to the replicator. Before she went to the Bridge, she needed to have something to eat so that the symptoms of pregnancy wouldn't be obvious enough for anyone, especially Spock and Leonard, to detect and quickly restrict her duties.

* * *

**_Bridge – U.S.S. Enterprise – 2000 H_**

The first thing Arianne heard as the turbolift doors opened was Leonard scoff as he walked across the Bridge get away from Spock. Obviously, she reasoned, there had been an argument between the two.

"Captain, a moment of your time?" Arianne asked respectfully as she walked over to Spock.

Spock was silent for a moment and then nodded, "I believe the Ready Room would serve as an appropriate place to have a private discussion, Lieutenant," he replied in a quiet, toneless voice.

Arianne nodded and as she followed Spock across the Bridge, she caught sight of Leonard and wasn't surprised that he was giving her a concerned look; he was obviously confused by her actions.

However, Arianne offered no information until she was safe and alone in the damaged Captain's Ready Room with Spock, "I was taking a breather in my father's quarters and Lieutenant Uhura came to talk to me," she explained in a tight voice. "She said that you and Jim had a rather ugly fight on the Bridge."

"Lieutenant Kirk was being insubordinate and was attempting mutiny," Spock explained in a toneless voice, reminding himself that Arianne had not been on the Bridge at the time. "I responded logically."

Arianne's eyes narrowed and she felt herself becoming angry, "Marooning Jim on Delta Vega in an escape pod is a logical response, Spock?" she asked in a snappish voice. "I cannot believe with all the logic you've been taught, you'd resort to such a human method of dealing with insubordination!"

"Arianne, it is not logical for you to shout at me either," Spock replied tonelessly. "Are you unwell?"

Swallowing hard, Arianne sighed and stared out the cracked window, "You're right, my anger wasn't logical," she said in a somber voice. "However, Spock, neither was your treatment of Kirk."

Spock was quiet for several seconds and then moved close to Arianne, "May I initiate a mind meld with you, Arianne?" he asked, suspecting that all was not well with Arianne judging by her behavior.

"Spock," Arianne whispered in an anxious voice as she moved away, closer to the cracked window.

There was a tense silence and Arianne turned away before Spock could see her tears, "Arianne, you are emotionally compromised, but I suspect that the reason is not anything to do with my mother's death and Captain Pike's capture," Spock said as he walked over to her. "I am an effective confidant…"

"A bond has been created between myself and another," Arianne replied softly, not turning around.

Spock was silent for a moment, "Doctor McCoy," he replied tonelessly. "Is he aware of it?"

"No," Arianne said as she turned to face him. "He is not aware of it nor is he aware of the child…"

For once, Spock was at a loss for words, "It will not compromise my ability to do my duties aboard the Enterprise for this mission," Arianne continued in a calmer voice. "I do not want Doctor McCoy to know of my condition, however, as I will tell him when the time is appropriate. Can you promise me that?"

"I can," Spock replied calmly. "I trust that you are aware of your limitations and will act wisely."

Arianne nodded, "I also confided in Kirk before he took the Kobyashi Maru and he promised to keep it confidential and support me through this," she explained gently. "I just need to get through this…"

"Keptin Spock, pleze kome to ze Bridge," Pavel's voice suddenly said over the intercom.

Spock silently looked at Arianne, "You are welcome to work on the Bridge if you would like," he said in a voice that almost conveyed compassion. "I will, of course, keep our conversation confidential."

"Thank you," Arianne whispered as she followed Spock out of the ready room and went over to the Ops Station while Spock walked over to the command chair. "Nyota, where exactly are we headed?"

Nyota sighed, "The Laurentian System," she whispered. "Spock wants to join up with the primary…"

Suddenly, the turbolift doors opened and Hendorff and two other Security officers came on to the Bridge with a battered Jim and, to Arianne's shock, a waterlogged and battered Monty. Words were exchanged between Jim and Spock and without warning, Spock became angry and attacked Jim so viciously that he was pinning him against the Helm console with a tight hand around his throat.

"SPOCK!" the toneless, yet loud voice of Sarek suddenly cut through the air like a sharp knife.

The reaction was instant; Spock released Jim, relinquished command, and fled the Bridge and Arianne got up just in time to see Jim take a seat in the command chair. Of course, Leonard shot his mouth off, but Jim and Hikaru quickly shut him up, claiming that Captain Pike had arranged everything before.

As Jim sent a shipwide message that explained their new plan, Arianne silently walked over to the command chair, "What happened to you, Jim?" she asked in a soft, but concerned tone of voice.

"After we stop Nero from destroying Earth, I'll sit down with you and we'll chat over food and hot apple cider," Jim whispered in a reassuring voice as he shivered. "Delta Vega was really, really cold."

Arianne nodded, "I already know that," she replied gently. "I'll have a uniform brought up for you."

"If it takes more than 10 minutes, don't bother," Jim replied calmly. "Can you please go to the Ops station instead and allocate as much power as you can to weapons, shields, and engines? I've got a bit of a plan in mind, but I need to take a minute to sort through it in my mind. It's a bit of a risky plan."

Arianne sighed, "Don't get yourself killed," she whispered in an anxious voice before she walked over to the Ops station and saw Pavel sitting at Navigation looking at a PADD. "I hope you can save Earth…"

Nearly half an hour later, Arianne found herself standing beside Nyota as Pavel explained his plan about how to get on board Nero's ship. Pavel's young age made it difficult for anyone but her and Jim to take him seriously, but Jim found merit in the plan and Spock had readily arrived and offered support.

"Lieutenant Pike, please take the center seat," Jim said in a confident voice, still smarting over the fact that Leonard reacted so badly to his taking command under Pike's orders. "If you can, please ensure that a message to Starfleet Academy advising them of the situation is sent. Take care of the Enterprise."

Arianne nodded, as Jim's unspoken message to take care of herself while in command was also clear and she had no intention of doing anything that would harm her unborn child, "Lieutenant Uhura, please send an emergency message to Starfleet Command advising them of the situation," she said in a commanding voice as she sat down in the command chair and looked at Nyota. "Sulu, please tie Operations into the Helm and make sure that all power levels remain steady. Ensign Chekov…"

"Ve are in position," Pavel replied officially. "Keptin Quirk and Meester Spock are on zeir way…"

Arianne turned and saw that Jim and Spock were indeed gone, "Doctor McCoy, could you please go to the temporary Sickbay and prepare a team, supplies, and a stretcher?" she asked as she turned her attention to Leonard, who was staring nervously at the viewscreen. "Once all that is prepared, I want you and the team to wait in the transporter room until Jim, Spock, and my father get back."

Leonard was silent for a moment and nodded, "Of course," he replied calmly. "I'll take care of it."

Arianne nodded and remained silent as Leonard left the Bridge, "Message has been sent to Starfleet Academy," Nyota reported as she looked at Arianne. "Should I keep an open link to Kirk and Spock?"

"Yes," Arianne replied calmly. "Sulu, keep up with Nero's ship so long as we can avoid detection."

Hikaru nodded and pressed a few buttons, "Until we hear from Jim or Spock, all we can do is wait and hope that the plan will be successful," Arianne said, hoping that her words would comfort them all.

A few minutes passed and Arianne looked at Pavel, "Activate the viewing screen," she ordered. "I want to be able to see what's going on out there so we can be prepared to respond however we need to."

Pavel nodded and the Bridge crew was greeted by the sight of the demonic ship right ahead of them.

* * *

Chaos reigned on the Bridge and Arianne was relieved that, nearly an hour after Jim and Spock had departed for Nero's ship, they had both returned and had brought Captain Pike back with them. Consoles were in pieces, the viewscreen was cracked, and a large black hole was just outside the Enterprise.

Jim, being Jim, had offered Nero mercy and the mercy had been thrown back in his face. The black hole had promptly swallowed Nero's ship in its entirety and was now threatening to swallow the Enterprise.

It was then that Jim and Monty had decided to eject and detonate the warp cores to give the Enterprise the push out of harm's way that they needed. Of course, to Arianne's shock, the plan was successful.

"Lieutenant Pike, Captain Pike is in Sickbay," Jim said in a quiet voice as he stood up and looked at her.

Arianne nodded and looked up and down at Jim's battered form, "Looks like you could use Sickbay yourself, Jim," she replied in a tired voice as she saw Spock approach Nyota and talk to her.

"Bones is busy enough taking care of Captain Pike," Jim replied calmly. "How about we get a hot meal and cider while we wait for Bones's schedule to clear? I think we both need to have a bit of a break."

Arianne sighed and caught sight of the chronometer that was above the turbolift and was now sporting a crack as large as the one on the viewscreen, "Is it really almost 1100 in the morning?" she asked in a tired voice as she stood close to Jim. "I think we both need something to eat and then a good nap."

"I can't afford to take a nap, but you can," Jim replied calmly. "Sulu, how long til we get back to Earth?"

Swallowing hard, Arianne looked out the cracked viewscreen at space for only a moment before she turned and left the Bridge. She took the turbolift to the floor where the Mess Hall and Rec Deck was so that she could do two things; check on the Vulcan Elders and get something to eat before she fainted.

As Arianne walked down the corridor, however, she saw Sarek come out of the Rec Room and proceed directly into the Mess Hall with a woman whom she recognized as T'Pau, "Ambassador Sarek, High Priestess T'Pau," she said in a respectful voice as she approached them. "How are you faring?"

"We have just disengaged from meditation and are seeking to acquire sustenance," T'Pau explained in a toneless voice as she regarded Arianne and her attire. "You have acquired a second necklace…"

Arianne nodded, "A gift from one I have bonded with," she explained softly. "He does not know of the bond nor of the fact that I conceived during a period of intimacy with him. I plan to keep the child…"

"Have you confided in your father about this?" Sarek cut in. "He would be able to guide you the most."

Shaking her head, Arianne sighed, "My father is in Sickbay and I do not wish to disturb him or Doctor McCoy for the time being," she replied in an anxious voice. "I was just planning to get some food."

Sarek and T'Pau nodded and suddenly went quiet and Arianne turned to see Pavel standing down the corridor with a horrified expression on his face at seeing the Vulcan Elders, "Pavel, wait!" Arianne called out as Pavel turned and ran back the way he came. "Ambassadors, if you will please excuse me."

As Arianne speedwalked down the corridor, her communicator beeped, "Lieutenant Pike here," she said in a professional voice as she pulled out her communicator and opened it. "What do you want?"

"Lieutenant Pike, care to join me in my ready room?" Jim's voice spoke. "Consider that an order."

Arianne smiled, "On my way, Captain," she replied calmly, intending to tell him about Pavel.

* * *

_**Captain's Ready Room – U.S.S. Enterprise – 1200 H**_

"…Excellent, we'll be awaiting them," Arianne heard Jim say as she quietly entered the room.

Jim smiled as he tapped the computer, "Starfleet's sending a bunch of shuttles up to get us since our shuttlebay was damaged," he explained in a tired voice. "They'll be here in about 15 minutes."

"I've been thinking, Jim," Arianne replied as she moved to the desk. "Len's a great CMO, isn't he?"

Even though he was confused, Jim nodded, "If I were to tell Leonard about this pregnancy, there is no way he'd accept another space assignment for the next 18 years," Arianne said as she sat in the chair across from Jim and crossed her arms. "He'd want to marry me and work at Starfleet Medical so he could be there for me and the baby and he'd grow to resent being so limited in what he could do."

"You're not going to tell him?" Jim asked in a surprised voice. "How are you going to support…?"

Arianne sighed, "Admiral Archer is going to be sworn in as President of the United Federation of Planets after graduation," she replied, well aware that the commencement ceremony would be very somber because a great deal of the graduating class had been killed in orbit of Vulcan. "I cannot legally marry another because I am bonded to Leonard and polygamy's illegal, but staging a wedding might work…"

"Archer's going to go ballistic about that and so is your dad," Jim replied. "Are you sure you don't…?"

Arianne shook her head, "I sent Admiral Archer a message explaining my situation when I was alone in my father's quarters," she replied in an anxious voice. "Admiral Archer understands that I love Leonard and I always will, but this way, there won't be any danger of having the baby taken away from me. I told him I was pregnant and right away, Admiral Archer said that if I did not choose to tell Leonard or find someone who could serve as a parental competency monitor, I would have the baby taken from me."

"Archer is such a moron in calling you incompetent," Jim muttered grouchily. "I just have one question; I know for a fact that Admiral Archer hates you because you're friends with me, so how do we…?"

Arianne sighed, "The whole cheating thing will be fresh in Archer's mind and he'll assume that I decided to break off my friendship with you because I wasn't at the hearing," she replied in a tired voice. "He said that he'll take care of Leonard and that worries me a bit, but I don't see any other way to do this."

"Arianne, I could put in a request for you to come serve under me after the baby's born," Jim replied.

Swallowing hard, Arianne stood up, "You know that Starfleet doesn't allow pregnant women or mothers to serve aboard ships with their children in tow," she replied softly. "Can you support me in this, Jim?"

Jim was quiet for several minutes and then nodded with tears in his eyes, "Thank you," Arianne replied in a quiet, emotional voice as she grasped Jim's hands in her own. "I have to think of the baby…"

"You love Bones so much you're letting him go," Jim replied in a somber voice. "Arianne…"

Arianne nodded as tears pooled in her eyes, "You'd best comm Sickbay and see how Captain Pike is doing because I don't dare contact Leonard myself," she said in a quiet voice. "I would crack."

Jim nodded and pressed another button on his computer, "Captain Kirk to Doctor McCoy," he said in as official a voice as he could manage. "I would very much like an update on Captain Pike's condition."

"I'm doing what I can for Captain Pike here and when the shuttles get here, I'll take him to Starfleet Medical and do more there," Leonard's snappish voice replied. "I'll get back to you later, all right?"

The comm link went silent and Jim looked at Arianne, "I want very much to stay and be there when my father wakes up, but I'm scared of being around Leonard and him finding out," she explained in a nervous voice as she stood up. "I suppose I could go there under the pretense of taking you there."

"If that would help you feel more comfortable, I'll let you take me to Sickbay," Jim replied gently.

* * *

**_Sickbay – U.S.S. Enterprise – 1700 H_**

Most of the cadets had gone by the time Jim and Arianne managed to get to Sickbay after rechecking on the Vulcan elders, answering messages and calls from various Academy personnel, and getting damage reports from all departments. When they entered Sickbay, however, silence greeted them.

There was damage in Sickbay, yes, but they could also see Captain Pike's form laying in the surgical area connected to various machines with tubes and wires sticking out everywhere. Dim lights were on in the Chief Medical Office and Leonard looked busy at the computer, so Jim and Arianne silently passed that.

As Arianne and Jim stopped at Captain Pike's bedside, Arianne gently took her father's hand in her own and sighed, "I'm so glad you're alive, Daddy," she whispered in a distressed voice. "Really glad."

There were footsteps and Arianne turned in time to see Leonard approach with a small jar containing a very ugly looking creature that resembled a puffy worm, "This was in Captain Pike's spine, but don't ask me what it is because I don't know," Leonard stated in a tired voice. "Anyway, Jim, go sit on one of the beds in the patient bay and I'll be with you in a minute. Lieutenant Pike, we need to talk, don't we?"

"I'll put this back on your desk," Jim said, taking the jar from Leonard before he walked off alone.

Arianne sighed, but said nothing, "I got a message from Admiral Archer that you're being recalled to Earth and he's making you marry him so he can serve as a competency monitor," Leonard said in a distressed voice as he gave Arianne a concerned look. "I guess your advocacy made him mad…"

"At least I think I'll be able to graduate from the Academy," Arianne replied softly as she carefully released her father's hand. "The methods I use to help people may not be seen as politically correct in the eyes of Starfleet, but I have no regrets in what I've done to help you and help others succeed."

Leonard nodded, gently held up his hand in a Vulcan kiss gesture, and extended it to Arianne, "I hope you find peace wherever you end up," he said in a somber voice as he struggled not to break down.

"And I hope you find peace in wherever Starfleet sends you," Arianne said in a somber voice as she made the gesture and gently touched his outstretched fingers. "Do good for the future, my love."

Swallowing hard, Leonard nodded and lowered his hand as he stepped back. As he turned away, Arianne could see tears glistening in his dark eyes, but she could say nothing because there was no point.

"Arianne," Arianne suddenly heard a faint voice say. "I…overheard your talk…please…explain."

Arianne looked down and saw that her father was awake, but looking very tired, "I'll explain it to you when you're feeling more up to talking, Daddy," she whispered in a reassuring voice. "Get some rest."

"Arianne," Chris said in a faint voice. "I know something happened; please tell me and let me help."

Swallowing hard, Arianne gently took her father's hand, "Daddy, I don't want you to get too stressed out right now," she said in a gentle, but firm voice. "How about I stay here and watch you sleep for a while?"

Too exhausted to argue, Chris nodded and allowed his tired body to relax as he fell back into a slumber.

* * *

**_Intensive Care – Starfleet Medical – 2200 H_**

Every so often, Arianne found herself gazing up at the monitor that was next to the bed where her father lay in semi-critical condition with a high chance of permanent paralysis below the waist. She had come with him on a shuttle back to Earth because she was eager to get planetside as quickly as possible.

A chair at her father's bedside, a stylus to do her work, a meal and snacks to keep her strength up was all Arianne needed because she wasn't going anywhere until her father woke up again. There would be no official marriage ceremony; a story would be spread throughout Starfleet that Admiral Archer had ordered a private ceremony performed and that would be it. After all, she was already bonded and would not break it for anything.

The monitor suddenly beeped and Arianne looked up from her stylus to see that her father was awake and giving her a concerned look, "Hey," she said in a tired voice, smiling at him. "How are you?"

"I believe you owe me an explanation, dear child of mine," Chris said in a tired voice. "Go ahead."

Arianne sighed, "I love Doctor McCoy so much that I'm letting him go," she replied calmly. "I've heard he's being pegged for the Chief Medical Officer position on the Enterprise and he needs to do that."

Chris was silent for a moment and then his eyes narrowed slightly, "You're pregnant with Doctor McCoy's child, aren't you?" he asked in a soft, but knowing voice. "You don't want to make him feel obligated to stay behind and look after you and the baby, so you spun this wild story. I may be old and sick, but I still have a few brain cells working..."

"I actually told Admiral Archer about the pregnancy and he ordered me to either tell Leonard or find someone who could monitor my competency with the baby at all times," Arianne replied in an anxious voice as she let out a tired sigh. "He said that it was either his way, or he would contact Social Services about my incompetency."

Chris scoffed, "Archer's a moron," he replied in a groggy voice. "So, the wedding is just a cover and isn't real?"

"There won't be even that," Arianne said in a tired voice. "Just a story about how it happened."

Chris nodded and sighed, "When I was back on the Enterprise, I heard bits and pieces about my condition from McCoy and he doesn't know if the paralysis is permanent or temporary," he said, seeing that Arianne was uncomfortable with the subject they were on. "I'm also apparently being promoted."

"Really?" Arianne asked in a gentle voice. "Who are they going to give the Enterprise to, then?"

Chris sighed sleepily, "I'm all for recommending Jim to command it, but he needs people in his crew that will keep an eye on him since your orders put you elsewhere," he replied tiredly. "If you have any recommendations as to who could serve under Jim to keep him grounded, I'd love to hear them."

"I'll think on it," Arianne replied softly, smiling at her tired father. "Now why don't you rest a while?"

Letting out a yawn, Chris nodded and promptly closed his eyes. Arianne stood up, quickly pulled her communicator out of her pocket, and opened it for a moment before putting it away and reaching for her private PADD. She silently typed out a message explaining what would now happen to her because of the unborn child and she sent it to Spock. Sometimes, it was easier to write than it was to explain and Spock would understand what she was both telling him about and also what she was asking him; she needed someone to look after Jim in her stead.

* * *

**_Three Weeks Later_**

**_Assembly Hall - Starfleet Academy – 1300 H_**

Commencement had been a somber occasion, more somber that any other since the Academy had been founded. The small graduating class had been celebrated quickly, as had their many deceased classmates. Loved ones collected the diplomas for their deceased graduates while it took every bit of courage for the survivors to do the same without breaking down. Just getting through the simplest tasks without a breakdown was surviving.

Immediately after commencement, Admiral Barnett had summoned Jim forward and granted him Captaincy of the Enterprise along with a commendation. Jim had immediately reported to Admiral Pike and had thereafter received a hail of praise, honor, and glory for all that he had done to save Earth from everyone within Starfleet.

It took everything for Arianne not to rush over to where Leonard and Jim were standing with Monty, Hikaru, Nyota, Leonard, Christine, and a few of the others she knew would soon be joining Enterprise, but she also knew that it would cause problems. Swallowing hard, Arianne quickly turned away to hide her surfacing tears.

It was done, Arianne thought solemnly as she left the Assembly Hall with her diploma in one hand and a new rank pip in the other that she had earned for her actions on the Enterprise. She would move what little things she had over to a special bedroom at Admiral Archer's house and assume her new role in society as the fake First Lady.

"Arianne?" a soft voice suddenly called out as footsteps came up behind her. "Wait a minute."

Arianne turned to see Leonard standing behind her, "I just got the word," he said in a somber voice. "I am going to be succeeding Doctor Puri as Chief Medical Officer of the Enterprise starting today. We leave tomorrow at 0600."

"Then I guess this is farewell," Arianne said in a faint voice as she moved towards Leonard and kissed him.

Leonard and Arianne remained in the embrace for only a moment before pulling apart and separating; he went back inside the Assembly Hall and she began the long walk to Admiral Archer's. Truly, the future was now.

* * *

_**Please read and review! The sequel is called 'Yesterday In Tomorrow.'**_


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